Crystal Tears
by NightmareGlitter
Summary: JessexJaden have been living quietly until they stumble upon corruption within the school environment. After investigating, they find themselves over their heads. Following a huge mistake, Jesse meets someone who says she can help. Full summary inside.
1. Chapter 1

**Summary: Jesse and Jaden have been living quietly until they stumble upon corruption within the school environment. After investigating, they find themselves over their heads. Following a huge mistake, Jesse meets someone who says she can help. Is she really who she says she is, and is destruction really the way to fight fire with fire? JxJ and CxA...for now.**

**A/N: Well, like I promised, here's the sequel to "Crystal of Your Eyes." You will find that some of the themes will be similar, but it's a lot darker than its predecessor. I know, another spiritshipping fic…there are so many that it's hard to pick any one out. But I hope to make this one unique and I hope you'll enjoy it and I hope it won't be similar to my other fics. There will be some lemons and some love triangles and squares…and there will be a tragedy. Those are the only warnings I have...though they're not too bad really. I'm just going to say right here that there will be no m-preg, no cutting, but there will be plenty of angst caused by a problem (but not a relationship problem as the main core of the plot). **

**Disclaimer: I do not own GX**

* * *

Chapter 1:

It was early morning at Duel Academy, and everyone was sitting quietly in their respective classes. At the moment, Jesse was sitting in Professor Stein's class, trying not to yawn with boredom. He glanced over at the Slifer section. His eyes locked with Jaden's. A blush crept across the Slifer's face to see those emerald eyes gazing at him. He quickly looked away. Raising an eyebrow and smiling a little, Jesse wondered what was keeping Jaden awake. Usually, he would be snoring away by now. Something must be on his mind.

His eyes drifted over to Chazz, who was already half asleep. His head kept dropping down a little, before he jerked it up again. Jesse watched the ebony haired boy with a lingering fondness in his eyes. As much as he hated to admit it, he still found the other boy attractive. He still liked him, though he was loath to think about it. Of course, he was happy with Jaden and wouldn't give him up for anything; he just missed Chazz sometimes, that was all.

Glancing over at Alexis, he felt a twinge of jealousy. He hated to think that he was jealous of the blond girl, but he couldn't help it. Every time he thought about how she had Chazz, it drove him mad. Not to mention the fact that she had feelings for Jaden. Not that Jaden knew it. But that didn't mean it didn't bother him. It wasn't that he didn't like her. He just resented her at times. He felt as though Jaden were his, not Alexis'.

Realizing he hadn't paid any attention to the lesson, he quickly turned his gaze back towards the front. Professor Stein was droning about some test they were going to have the next day. Jesse sighed. Well, he supposed he could glean the information from his textbook if he needed. Too bad the teacher's voice was so dry and monotonous that he could simply not pay attention. He hated to admit it, but in that class, he always spaced out.

Professor Stein wrote their homework assignment on the board just as the bell rang for class change. Jesse groaned softly, seeing that they had a book report due the next day. It wasn't that he hadn't read the book, it was that he didn't remember a word of it. And if he didn't understand it, then Jaden certainly hadn't. The boy would be coming to him asking for help. He didn't mind helping him. He just had a lot to do.

Grimacing, he thought about how he must be a bad person. For the past few days, he hadn't been really up to talking to much of anyone. He wasn't depressed, per se; he just felt the need to be alone with his Crystal Beasts. Something inside was bothering him. Perhaps it was how he'd brushed Jaden off. Perhaps it was how he felt about Alexis. And maybe it was more than anything how he still felt about Chazz. He'd never thought that he could find it so difficult to get rid of that emotion. Figuring it was because Chazz had been his first kiss, he shrugged it off, and tried to forget about it. It certainly wasn't as easy as it sounded, though.

"Hey, Jes!" A cheerful voice broke him from his thoughts.

He turned to see Jaden hurrying to catch up with him. Guilt stung him when he saw Jaden's eyes sparkling with eager energy. Smiling slightly, he greeted the other boy. "Hey, Jay. What's up?"

Jaden grinned at him and slung an arm around his shoulders. "Nothing much. I was just wondering if you were going to be home tonight…"

"To help you with your report?" Jesse asked, almost groaning.

"Hey, how'd you know?" Jaden asked, blinking.

"I know you," Jesse told him, smiling weakly, "I'll try to help you but I'm kinda busy myself. I don't really remember what we read and we have that test tomorrow…plus all the other homework."

Jaden looked a bit alarmed. "There's a test tomorrow?" He thought about this for a moment as Jesse nodded. Then: "Ah, well. I wasn't going to study anyway. I'll do fine winging it."

"Well, this test doesn't have a dueling portion to it," Jesse pointed out, placing a hand on top of Jaden's head and ruffling his hair, "because it's about ancient dueling history."

"Oh, right…" Jaden said, laughing a little, "I guess then that maybe I should study. But first, please help me with my report." He gave Jesse a puppy look that melted the teal haired boy's heart.

"All right, all right," He sighed, not being able to help but smile. "I'll be home then. Ok?"

"Do you think you could come back with me earlier than you have been?" Jaden asked in a soft voice, "Because I was hoping we could watch a movie too…after we finish our work."

Jesse sighed heavily. "We have to get enough sleep…"

"Please?" Jaden's chocolate eyes implored him to sacrifice his time, "I miss you. I know it's only been a few days, but we haven't talked that much, and you've been wrapped up in schoolwork. What's the matter? Have I done something wrong? Usually you're not so serious."

Jesse grinned guiltily down at the Slifer, "All right…you caught me. I've had some things on my mind. But we have to go back to our classroom now. The teacher's probably there now…and I'd rather tell you in private."

Jaden nodded, still clutching him around the shoulders. "That's fine with me. So can you just come with me right after school? Please? I don't want you running off again…"

Sighing, Jesse nodded. "I reckon I could spare the time for you."

"Thanks, Jes!" Jaden threw his arms around the North Academy student and squeezed him tightly. However, he noticed Jesse stiffen and looked up with confused eyes. "Do you…I mean…Are you sick of me?" He looked somewhat sad when he said this.

Jesse shook his head, his sea green eyes wide. "Of course not! I've just…not been myself lately. I'm sorry." He grinned sheepishly down at the suspicious Slifer.

"I've been really lonely lately," Jaden told him as he dragged him back towards the classroom, his hand tightly clasped around Jesse's, "You've been acting distant…Don't think I haven't noticed."

Jesse sighed heavily. "I told you I'd tell you this afternoon. I'm really sorry. I've just had a lot on my mind…Including about the new teacher, Professor Viper." He looked down at the floor, "But we'll talk about that later too. I just don't…never mind."

Jaden looked at Jesse, worry creasing his brow. Nevertheless, he didn't press any farther. He only sat back down in his seat, preparing to endure the long day.

* * *

The day never seemed like it would end. But finally, after what seemed like an eternity, the bell rang, signaling their release. Jaden ran to catch up with Alexis, hoping that he could have a word with her. Despite how he'd acted towards Jesse earlier, he was more than a little worried. In fact, he was simply upset by the whole matter. Something was on Jesse's mind…something he wasn't talking about.

"Hey, Lex, can we talk for a few minutes?" Jaden asked, grabbing her by the shoulder.

She turned and looked at him in surprise, but nodded. "Sure. What's wrong?"

"Oh, it's just…Jesse's been acting a little weird. He's been kind of keeping to himself for the past few days, and he doesn't seem like he wants to open up to me. You don't think he's getting sick of me like he did of Chazz?"

Alexis blinked. Then, she replied, "I have no clue what he thinks. I hardly talk to him. Have you told him it bothers you?"

"Well, not directly," Jaden admitted, "But I kind of hinted at it…I think he understands though. But he's been using school as an excuse."

Alexis rolled her eyes. "Has it occurred to you that perhaps he _does_ have a lot on his mind and is simply stressed out? Maybe you should show him some support instead of mooching off of him and copying his homework."

Jaden failed to respond immediately. Alexis' comment had stunned him. Finally, he stammered, "Whoa…Alexis…that's not it! I-I wouldn't do that!"

Alexis looked grimly at him. "But you have been. Chazz told me that Jesse told him that that's what you've been doing."

"Why didn't he say anything to me?" Jaden wondered aloud, "Besides, I didn't copy too much…I just didn't do it then remembered the packet was a test grade and…well…"

"Since when did you even care?" Alexis asked, planting her hands firmly on her hips, "What's gotten into you? You've been treating him like he's a welcome mat ready to be walked all over."

Jaden blinked, staring at her. Seeing he wasn't responding, she turned and walked away. Now this was just crazy. Since when did she get so huffy about these things? Jaden began to wonder if he really was that overbearing. He found it hard to believe, however, that Jesse would talk about him behind his back. Feeling somewhat injured, he walked off to find his boyfriend.

It took a bit of looking, but he finally found him in the library, gathering books for their homework. Seeing Jaden come in, he blushed, a bit ashamed at having not found him first thing. Hurriedly, he set the books down on a table nearby. He opened his mouth to say something, then stopped, seeing the hurt look on the other boy's face. Concerned, he put an arm around Jaden's shoulders and held him close.

"What's wrong?"

"Jes…did you talk about me behind my back to Chazz?" He looked up at Jesse, trying to appear neutral.

Jesse blinked. "No…"

"Alexis said that you did," He told him, "She said that you were mad at me because I was copying your homework and 'using' you."

"I never said that," Jesse told him, all the more confused, "Besides, that was just once…Why would you think that I'd be mad at you for somethin' like that?" He sat down on a chair, gazing up at Jaden.

"I guess because of the way you've been acting lately," Jaden admitted, sitting in a chair facing him and looking down at the table. He traced his finger over the wood grain pattern, avoiding Jesse's green gaze.

Jesse patted Jaden's hand. "Hey…I wasn't mad at you or anything. I've just had a lot on my mind. Come on. I'm gonna check these books out, then we can go to our room."

"All right," Jaden sighed, running a hand through his dark hair, and grinning weakly. "Just make sure that you don't push me aside for anything. Because this is important."

"Ok," Jesse agreed, taking the books up to the librarian and placing them on the desk.

He finished checking them out and led Jaden out the doors. Jaden followed him down the hall like a faithful puppy follows its master. They went outside and walked silently to the Obelisk boys' dorm, where Jesse led Jaden to their room. Jaden held the door open for Jesse, since he was carrying so many books. Then, he closed the door behind them and locked it. Yawning a little, he flopped down on the bed and watched Jesse pull his homework and textbooks out of his bag, setting them down on his desk. Jaden propped himself up on his elbows and waited patiently. Jesse turned to him and sat on the bed, leaning against the headboard.

"Ok, Jay, we can talk now."

Jaden sat up and leaned against Jesse, with his back pressed against the other boy's chest. Slipping his arms around Jaden's waist, Jesse pulled him closer and rested his chin on Jaden's shoulder.

"Well," Jaden sighed, "Can you go ahead and tell me what's wrong?"

"Um…you won't like it…" He admitted, looking sheepish, "The thing is…I…I still have feelings for Chazz."

There was an awkward silence.

"And I've just been struggling with myself, I guess. Not to mention I don't really trust Professor Viper…with the way he's been acting and all…" Jesse continued weakly. He didn't like that Jaden wasn't saying anything back. "I don't really know how to explain it…I just hate these darn biobands...They make me feel uncomfortable. I feel as though he might be using them to spy on us. I don't know…I've just been paranoid."

Jaden leaned his head back to stare up at Jesse. He seemed somewhat disappointed in him. "I know how you feel about Viper but…I don't think there's anything we need to worry about. And I guess I understand why you feel that way about Chazz but it still bothers me. I want to be the only one. And sometimes I worry that you might leave me just like you left him…I don't want to be annoying to you."

Jesse stroked the brunette's hair. "I could never feel that way about you," He assured Jaden, kissing him on the neck, "I love you far too much."

Jaden looked up at Jesse. Neither of them felt too much like talking anymore. They only stared into each others' eyes for a few minutes, uncertain of what to do next. Finally, Jesse eased back and let Jaden lean closer to him. They didn't say anything for a long time, only sat holding each other. Eventually, Jaden dropped his head on Jesse's chest and closed his eyes, listening to his heartbeat. Jesse entangled his fingers in Jaden's rich brown hair, closing his eyes as well.

After a few minutes, Jaden leaned up and kissed Jesse's chin. Jesse opened his aquamarine eyes and gazed down into Jaden's chocolate ones. Leaning up, Jaden brushed his lips to Jesse's. Their lips lingered on each other for a moment, then Jesse turned his head, breaking the kiss. Pushing Jaden's face in his chest, he sighed and reached over for the textbook he'd put on his nightstand. He pulled his notes out and started to study. Truth be told, he couldn't concentrate on Jaden. He had far too much on his mind.

Jaden sensed this. Although he wasn't too happy with it, he accepted it. Standing up, Jaden stretched his thin, lithe figure and turned the computer on, to start on his book report. After what Alexis had said to him, he didn't want Jesse's help anymore. He figured he could do it fine on his own. All he had to do was read the inside sleeve of the book then get the rest of the information from the internet. Normally, he wouldn't have done his homework, but he figured it was a grade important enough. Besides, Jesse had told him that it was better he did his homework every now and then so he wouldn't fail.

Feeling bored, he yawned and began copying and pasting from an internet book discussion site. Jesse glanced up from his studying to see Jaden highlighting a whole section, then pasting it into a word document. Groaning, he put his textbook down and went behind Jaden, placing his hands on the other boy's shoulders.

"Jay," He whispered in the Slifer's ear, trying to hide the amused smile, "That's called plagiarizing. You could get in a LOT of trouble."

Jaden turned his head and looked into Jesse's eyes. His face turned scarlet from embarrassment.

Jesse gave him a tiny kiss on the cheek, then lightly nipped at his neck. "You should probably at least change the wording around. Ok?" He winked at the other boy.

Blushing deeper, Jaden simply nodded and went to the task of re-arranging the sentences. He propped his chin in his hand, looking rather gloomy. Finally, he began re-wording the entire thing. As he watched this, Jesse began to feel a little bad. Jaden seemed really lonely. He seemed…neglected. Pushing the guilt down, Jesse turned his attention back to the textbook, and then started on some worksheets.

Heaving a lengthy sigh, Jaden printed his 'report' out and threw it in his bag. He didn't say anything to Jesse, just sat down on the floor and pulled out his deck. Jesse glanced over his book down at the brunette. He could resist no longer. Leaning over the edge of the bed, he planted a small kiss on the top of Jaden's head. Jaden glanced up at him. His expression lightened as he held his hand out, looking hopeful. Jesse reached in his card holder and handed Jaden his deck, smiling. Jaden was the only one he could trust with his precious cards. They were his life.

Jaden took the cards and lay on his stomach to examine them. Stepping over him, Jesse flopped down in the swivel chair and began to write his book report. He became deeply absorbed in his work, and completely oblivious to Jaden.

At the same time, Jaden became desperate for Jesse's attention. He carefully set the cards down and attacked Jesse's ankles under the desk, clinging to them and squeezing his legs tightly. Jesse glanced under the desk at the brunette who, by that time, had all four limbs wrapped around his legs, clutching him like a child.

"What do you want?" Jesse asked, unable to help but look down at his boyfriend adoringly as he ruffled his choppy, dark hair.

Jaden leaned up, placing his hands on each of Jesse's thighs and leaning up slightly. "I want you." He teased, smiling widely.

Shaking his head and grinning, Jesse fondled the other boy's cheek lovingly. "Later, Jay. I have to finish my book report. But I promise to pay you attention afterwards, Ok?"

"Can we go get some ice cream?" Jaden asked, his eyes pleading with Jesse.

"I thought you wanted to watch a movie," Jesse reminded him, "And it's getting dark…We can't get ice cream now. The Academy store is closed. But I'll get you some tomorrow."

Reluctantly, Jaden slid back beneath the desk and crawled back over to the abandoned pile of cards. His expression tugged at Jesse's heart. He felt somewhat bad about ignoring him so much. But it couldn't be helped. He had work to do. And as much as he would like to spend his time with Jaden, he had to keep up with his grades. He liked to slack off sometimes, but he really needed to do well if he wanted to make it as a Pro. Sure, he had the Crystal Beasts going for him, but he had to prove himself as a hard worker too. After all, he didn't have a blood family to back him up. His eyes softened as he thought about how he'd never known his parents. Looking back over at Jaden, though, he cheered up. No matter what happened, he always had Jaden to back him up. Jaden would take care of him if something bad happened.

Jesse resumed typing, losing track of the time. It took him about an hour, but he finally finished. Just as he was about to print, he felt arms go around his neck and then a pair of lips press against his cheek.

"Jes," Jaden said softly, "I need you."

He looked up at Jaden, surprised. "Is something wrong?"

Jaden came around and sat on Jesse's lap. "Nah, I just…wanted some attention." He smiled wanly, "I was about to go take a bath though. It's getting kind of late."

Jesse glanced at the clock, then nodded. "I should probably start getting ready for bed too."

"Are you almost done?" Jaden asked, clinging to his neck.

Jesse nodded. "I am done actually."

Jaden slid off of his lap and grabbed his hands, pulling him to his feet and dragging him towards the bathroom and said cheerfully, "Come take a bath with me, then."

Jesse's face turned red. "With you? Hold on, Jay…Are you sure about this?"

Jaden nodded. "We can take a bubble bath. I'd be more comfortable that way anyway. I'd rather you didn't…you know…"

Jesse sighed. "All right."

"I just want to spend more time with you, that's all," Jaden explained, closing the door, "And we're both guys anyway…"

"Yeah, it's just…this is kind of…a big step in our relationship," Jesse said awkwardly.

"Well, we're not going to see anything if we don't look," Jaden told him a bit mischievously, turning his back. "Just turn around until I say it's all right."

Jesse simply agreed and turned his back, beginning to undress. He felt slightly uncomfortable with this, but decided it was all right. He trusted Jaden, anyway. Jaden would never do anything to make him distrust him. Hearing the bathtub filling with water, he felt his face burn. He couldn't help but imagine what Jaden looked like naked. Quickly, he shook the thought from his mind.

"Ok," Jaden called, almost sounding like he was teasing the other boy, "You can get in now. Don't worry; I'm not looking."

Jesse hesitated momentarily, then turned around. His face turned red once more when he saw Jaden reclined in the water, his arms stretched out and his upper chest visible. Slowly, he made his way over to the tub, and eased in. As much as he tried not to feel uneasy about it, he did. He just couldn't help but stare, though.

Jaden moved closer to Jesse. He recoiled a bit at the sensation of bare skin brushing. It made him nervous. While Jaden seemed a bit nervous as well, he also seemed innocent in his affections, which made Jesse feel guilty about the thoughts that were flying through his mind. Jaden didn't mean anything wrong by what he was doing. He just wanted to get closer.

And speaking of getting closer, that's what Jaden was doing right at the moment. Blushing, Jesse leaned against the wall of the tub, trying to control his irregular breathing. Jaden, however, didn't seem to notice. He merely leaned his face in Jesse's, tilting his head slightly. In response, Jesse half closed his eyes and moved his hand behind Jaden's head, pushing his head down. Their lips brushed, lightly at first, then more firmly. It was all Jesse could do to hold back. Jaden was making him weak; he didn't know if he could control himself.

Jaden, still ignorant of Jesse's feelings, wrapped his arms around the other boy's neck and deepened the kiss. He leaned in closer, massaging Jesse's lips with his own, and every so often nibbling on them. Jesse thought he was going to go crazy. Letting his eyelids droop shut, he softly kissed Jaden back, lingering in the ecstasy it gave him. He let his hands travel from Jaden's face to his back, where he ran them ever so lightly over his skin, just barely touching him. Jaden's hands moved down to Jesse's chest and he pressed his mouth closer.

Growing a little bold, Jesse touched his tongue to Jaden's lips, asking for entrance. His request was granted. Jaden opened his mouth enough to let Jesse's tongue explore. Cupping Jaden's face in his hands, Jesse felt the inside of Jaden's mouth, enjoying the sweet taste of his tongue against Jaden's. They kissed feverishly for a moment, then, gave each other tiny, light kisses, becoming tender with one another.

As Jesse felt his hands taking on a mind of their own, he realized they'd better stop. Jaden's innocence made him feel so guilty. He felt as though he was getting more pleasure out of this than he should. Quickly, he pulled his mouth from Jaden's, breaking the kiss and panting ever so slightly. Ashamed, he avoided Jaden's gaze.

"Jesse?" The Slifer slipped his arms around Jesse's neck again, cocking his head cutely to one side.

Jesse took a moment to breathe before he responded. Then, with a burning face and a sheepish grin, he told Jaden, "I think we should probably stop…I can't go on like this with you."

"Why not?" Jaden asked, blinking.

"_Because you're so innocent and pure and it makes me feel like a pervert,"_ Jesse thought, but said aloud: "I jus' don't feel comfortable with this. Can we just wash up and get out?"

Looking slightly disappointed, Jaden nodded hesitantly. "All right." His tone held a bit of bitterness to it.

Jesse was surprised at how resentful Jaden seemed. He knew he hadn't been the most attentive boyfriend over the past few days, but he hadn't realized how much it had hurt the brunette. Even though he knew Jaden would get over his bad mood in a few minutes, it still made him wonder if he were treating Jaden like he should. Sometimes he wondered if they were going to make it. Sometimes he wondered if he should explain more to Jaden. After all, the other boy was smarter than he seemed. He just acted clueless at times. Jesse truly wondered if it was all an act just to be cute.

Becoming worried by Jaden's silence, he grabbed him around the waist from behind and laid his cheek against the other boy's shoulder, his eyes squeezed tightly shut. He clutched Jaden against him in a fierce hug. As much as he hated to admit it, sometimes he worried about losing Jaden to someone else. After all, he felt like he wasn't able to give him exactly what he needed, or as much attention as he needed. He told himself that Jaden understood and would forgive him, but he just couldn't assure himself enough. Perhaps it would be best to talk to Jaden about it instead of fretting and assuming things.

"Jay," He said quietly, squeezing the Slifer tighter, "I'm sorry. I hope you're not mad at me. You know I love you."

He felt Jaden's warm breath on his forehead as the boy gave him a gentle kiss. Jaden stroked his hair delicately, and told him, "I know. I'm not mad. I'm just…thinking."

Jesse bit his lip. Since when did Jaden think in such a quiet, contemplative manner? He decided that he might as well ask. "Would you ever leave me for anyone else?"

Jaden looked down at Jesse in surprise. "No! Why would you ever think I would? Because I was afraid you would?"

Jesse shook his head. "I just worry sometimes…" His eyes dropped from Jaden's. "I worry I can't give you everything you need."

Jaden pushed his face up, forcing their eyes to meet. "You don't have to give me everything, Jes. Just you being here for me is enough. Just the fact that we have each other. It's Ok. Don't worry about it. We're doing just fine. You're doing just fine." He pressed his lips to Jesse's forehead again, then, looked alarmed. "What, do you think that our relationship isn't working well enough?"

"No!" Jesse exclaimed, then laughed softly, rubbing the back of his hair, "Ya know, maybe we're both just bein' ridiculous here. Maybe we're both just insecure, that's all."

Jaden merely nodded, pulling away from Jesse. He went to the task of washing himself, while Jesse did he same. They were silent for the time being, each lost in his own thoughts. As he was washing, Jesse glanced down at the bioband on his wrist. Sighing heavily, he wondered why they were being forced to wear them. It just bothered him a lot. He wished he could take it off. The fact that he couldn't was more disturbing than anything.

Soon, they had finished their bath, dried off, and redressed. They sat in the middle of the bed, their cards spread out across the comforter. Jaden's eyes flickered up to Jesse's. Smiling slightly, he put his cards back together and held the deck out to him. Jesse looked at it for a moment, then took it and shuffled it while Jaden shuffled his deck. They began to set their cards out on the mattress, ready to start a game.

"You've been so quiet lately," Jesse pointed out as he placed his Amber Mammoth in attack mode.

Jaden shrugged. "I don't really have much to say."

"But you always have something to say!" Jesse protested, "Something's wrong and you're not telling me."

Jaden looked up and smiled somewhat morosely, "Jes…don't' worry about it. It's not you, Ok? It's just some personal issues I've been struggling with. It's nothing that anyone has done, it's nothing that can be controlled, so just forget about it."

Jesse bit his lip as he set a facedown. "I can't, Jay. I'm so worried. I know I haven't been paying you a lot of attention…but…"

"Calm down," Jaden told him, drawing a card and looking at his hand, "it's not you."

"Jay, if you don't tell me, I swear I'm gonna worry myself to death!" Jesse told him, laughing a little, trying to make light of the situation, "I do care about you no matter how much I brushed you off this week. I know I said we should just forget about it, but we're just going in circles. What's wrong?"

Jaden closed his eyes, his hand shaking. He took a deep breath and let it out slowly. "Jes…have you ever felt like…you weren't alone?"

"What do you mean?" Jesse asked, almost breathless. "Of course you're not alone…"

"No," Jaden said slowly, "Have you ever felt like…you're not the only one…that knows everything about you? That you're being watched?"

Jesse raised an eyebrow. "That's a strange way to feel…but I guess there could be someone somewhere--"

"It's not like that," Jaden sighed, then admitted blushing, "Oh, never mind. I'm just making a big deal out of nothing. It's really just a dream I had…I don't know. It just bothered me."

"What was it?" Jesse asked, watching Jaden's moves carefully.

"It's not the content so much that it was that I've had it over and over again. And now I can't get it out of my head." Jaden explained, "It's just really disturbing and it's had me thinking a lot about the past problems I've encountered…like the Shadow Riders and the Society of Light…I just feel like something else is coming…but this time, it's different. Because in my dream, I can't do anything about it."

Jesse sighed. "You know that's just crazy talk. It's probably just because you've done so much in the past with so much confidence that it's catching up with you."

Jaden looked frustrated. "I'm not any less confident than I was! It just bothers me, Ok? So don't start thinking that I'm losing it. It just really upsets me. That's all." He set his cards down and started to get up.

Dropping his cards, he lunged for Jaden and grabbed his wrist. "I knew it! You are mad at me! I'm sorry, Jay…it came out wrong."

Jaden turned back around, his eyes softening. He fell into Jesse's arms and hugged him. "I'm not mad…I just…flipped there for a minute. I'm kind of stressed…" He laughed nervously, "I know you were just trying to make me feel better. Can we just forget about that? Let's just continue our game, Ok?"

Jesse reluctantly nodded and released the other boy. Slowly, the picked their cards up and began again. Pushing his worry down, Jesse began to notice that Jaden was telling the truth. He wasn't mad in the least. In fact, at that moment, he seemed cheerful again. Relaxing, Jesse told himself that it was all in his head. And he was stressing Jaden out because he was stressed. He knew he was blaming Jaden for doing these things because he was afraid he was going to do them. Deep inside, he felt as though it took all his willpower not to cheat on Jaden with Chazz. He knew he should tell Jaden how he felt, but he was too afraid to. Feeling ashamed, he realized he was the reason that Jaden was so upset. Yet the Slifer was not willing to admit it. He would have to talk to him about it. First though, he'd have to work up the nerve. Little did he know just how difficult that would be since it was too late.

* * *

**A/N: I know that wasn't the best chapter…but it will get better. It was more or less an introductory chapter. GAH I feel like they were SO OOC. T.T Anyway, I read over Crystal of Your Eyes again and I was like "WTF?! This is so bad!" -.- Hopefully I have improved since then. And no, this is not a completely angsty fic. It's going to revolve more around the obstacles that come up, starting in the next chapter. Sure, there will be drama, as well as some scenes that are more friendship, but there will also be plenty of action and suspense. I'm hoping on using some of what happened in the 3****rd**** season to work into the plot to enhance it. But it won't be like exactly in the show. **


	2. Chapter 2

**A/N: I am so sorry that the prequel for this sucked so bad…I hope I can surpass my last attempt…I'm really trying to make this unique. If you stick around for the main plot to kick in, you'll see what I mean. P This is just the beginning after all…it's only a set up for the WORSE problems to come. **

**Disclaimer: I do not own GX.**

* * *

Chapter 2:

Jesse stopped by his locker after classes so he could take his textbooks back to his room. As he opened it, a note fluttered out. He looked both ways. The students in the halls seemed to be more focused on their individual conversations. He didn't see anyone who might've left it for him. Deciding that whoever had left it for him was gone, he stooped down and picked it up, then carefully unfolded it.

_Jesse, _

_I need some help moving my things from the Obelisk dorm to the Slifer dorm. I accidentally left some things behind when I moved back. If you would come to my old room at Obelisk as soon as possible, that would be great._

_--Chazz_

Jesse could not help but roll his eyes as he crumpled the note up and stuffed it in his pocket. The boy always had a thing with notes. He just loved to create suspense. Why couldn't he just ask him in person? They'd been in the SAME class only moments ago. The whole thing was pointless. However, he merely pulled his books out of his locker and slammed it shut, deciding he might as well help the spiky-haired teen out. If he did that, though, he'd have less time to do his homework and study, which he desperately needed to do. Duel Academy wasn't exactly the easiest school. In fact, it was far harder than North Academy. These people sure did have high expectations. But he was more than willing to prove his worth and meet those expectations. Jaden would be disappointed though…

He cringed, biting back the guilt. He'd had less time for Jaden lately with all the work in preparation for their first set of exams. To think, the first quarter wasn't even _done_ yet! Were mid-_quarterlies_ really that necessary? Sighing, he just told himself that it was all the better for his career.

Slipping through the Academy's double doors at the entrance, he hoped that Jaden wouldn't spot him and try to drag him off. It made him feel even worse to think this but, hell, he had things to do. Stuffing his hands in his pockets, he hurried towards the Obelisk boys' dorm. If Jaden were back in the room already, he'd better hope that he didn't come out into the hall. Quickly, he slipped through the dorm's doors and took the stairs two by two until he came to a corridor with doors on each side. His eyes scanned the room numbers, his footsteps muffled by the thick, plush carpet. Finally, he came to the room he was looking for. Wondering if Chazz were there yet, he lightly tapped his knuckles against the wood. There was silence for a moment, then the sound of something heavy crashing on the ground followed by a curse. A second later, the door flung open and an irate Chazz stared at him with narrowed eyes.

"What?!" He snapped, then relaxed, "Oh, it's just you." Holding the door open a little farther, he stepped aside and allowed the other boy to enter.

Jesse stared. Chazz's room was a complete mess. It was worse than he could've imagined! And he'd said he'd only left a _few_ things. More like his _entire_ room. Jesse groaned. This was going to take awhile…much longer than he'd expected. He considered calling Jaden to tell him he'd be late, but then figured that he'd just stay for a little bit then leave.

"So…this…is everything you forgot…" Jesse said weakly, barely avoiding tripping over a box of CDs in the middle of the floor, "What a mess…"

"Yeah, I know," Chazz snorted, running a hand through his ebony spikes, "So why don't you start over there in those drawers." He pointed over to a dresser which had clothes spilling over the edge.

Jesse felt slightly irked at the sudden request. "Ya know, Chazz, that was kind of rude of you…" He frowned a bit.

Chazz's face turned red. "Oh…um…yeah, sorry about that. It's just…Alexis can't really help me…and you're pretty reliable so…"

"Uh-huh," Jesse crossed his arms, but couldn't help the smile that came to his face. "Well, I reckon I should do it…"

Shaking his head, he stepped over piles of dirty clothing, books, and DVDs to the dresser. He began going through the drawers and putting the clothes in boxes, taking care to fold them and organize them by drawer. Glancing over his shoulder, he saw Chazz throwing anything that lay around him on the floor in a box. Jesse rolled his eyes. Perhaps Chazz didn't care. In that case, he could just throw them haphazardly in the boxes and get done quicker. Really, he hated the thought of Jaden worrying. He wondered what the brunette was doing at the moment.

It took him and Chazz several hours to pack all the boxes, even if they threw things in at random. Jesse was thankful that he hadn't tried to be neat about it. He hadn't wanted to take so long…but Jaden would just have to understand.

Then, he and Chazz had the lovely task of carrying the boxes from the Obelisk dorm to the Slifer dorm. They each carried as many as they could. It still took several trips. By the time they were finished, Jesse was tired and sore all over. He stretched a little, trying to ease his aching back and yawned. Glancing at the time, his emerald eyes widened. He really had to get back and do his homework.

"Thanks for helping me," Chazz told him almost begrudgingly, crossing his arms and looking less than grateful.

Jesse grinned weakly and rubbed the back of his head. "Hey, no problem. Anytime. But I have to go now. Homework calls."

"Wait," Chazz said, grasping the other boy's wrist.

Jesse sighed heavily. "What?" He asked tiredly.

Chazz smiled a little at him. "I wanted to tell you something."

"What is it now, Chazz?" Jesse asked, looking slightly exasperated.

Chazz jerked Jesse's wrist, forcing him to turn and look at him. Then, he yanked the other boy against him, releasing his wrist to hug him. Jesse stiffened. He was uncomfortable with this. What could Chazz be planning? Before he could say anything, Chazz placed a finger to his lips to keep him quiet.

"I know it's sort of wrong but…" Chazz took a deep breath, "I still like you a lot. I just can't forget…It's just too hard. I kind of miss you, actually."

Jesse opened his mouth to tell Chazz that he really had to go. Instead, he was horrified to hear himself saying what he'd wanted to keep in his head. "I feel the same way, actually. I just didn't want to admit it…"

Chazz, ever the impulsive one, tilted his head and started to lean down. Jesse told himself to turn his head. He told himself to jerk away. He told himself to say something. Anything would've done to avoid it. But he had no time to think anymore. Next thing he knew, Chazz's lips were glued to his own. As his eyes half closed, he realized he didn't want it to stop. It felt strangely…so good…so relaxing. He just didn't have the motivation to pull away. So he did the only thing he felt he could do: give in. His mind kept telling him to stop even as he began to return the pressure of the kiss. Even though he knew that he should break the kiss before he made it worse, he rather found himself entwining his arms around the other boy's neck, and letting his fingers drift to entangle themselves in Chazz's rich black hair. At the same time, Chazz's arms encircled Jesse's waist, and he pulled the transfer student closer.

Just as Chazz was slipping his tongue in Jesse's mouth did the teal haired boy regain his self control. Quickly, he tore away and fell backwards against a desk, which he gripped tightly, breathing hard. Chazz blinked, looking somewhat dazed.

"I really shouldn't have done that," Jesse muttered, wiping his mouth on his sleeve as though to try to rid of his blunder, "I have to go…See ya."

Before Chazz could say another word in protest, Jesse hurried out the door. He was ashamed of himself. How could he have made such an impulsive decision? How could he have let himself slip up like that? He wasn't sure how he could tell Jaden about it…but he knew he had to. It nearly broke his heart to think of Jaden's reaction. Especially since he thought that Jaden had been a little bit dissatisfied with him for the time being. But that was nothing compared to how disappointed he'd be when he heard of _this._

Quickly, he rushed back to his room and slipped through the door, closing it quietly then locking it. He stood with his back against the wood, shaking a little, trying to calm his breathing and his pounding heart. It made him sick to think that he'd cheated. Still in a daze, he wondered how it'd even happened. It was so _random._ It hadn't even escalated! Unless, of course, they'd felt it building up and failed to admit it to themselves. Really, he had to learn to be more careful.

Running his hand through his hair, he decided that all he needed was a cool shower. He'd feel a lot better after that. He'd have to wait though. Jaden was in the shower at the moment, judging by the sound of running water. Leaning back, he wondered why Jaden hadn't called him. Perhaps the other boy just trusted him too much. This made him feel all the guiltier. He hadn't meant to do anything that would injure his boyfriend! What would Jaden think? Perhaps he was just overreacting over the entire thing. Perhaps Jaden would forgive him and they could forget about it. He strongly doubted this theory, though.

Growing a little anxious, he began to spin around in the chair, watching the room go around and around until he was dizzy. It didn't matter to him if he fell to the floor and passed out. As long as he could get his nervous energy out. His stomach grew queasier the longer he spun. He suspected that it could be either the impending conflict that was coming his way, or the constant spinning. Then again, it probably was a combination. He ignored the nausea and increased his speed.

On the probable hundredth spin, he noticed the door open and a brownish blur step into the room. Seeing this only made him want to keep spinning in hopes that he might vanish off the face of the earth. Perhaps he would've if he hadn't been so dizzy that he fell out of the seat and rolled across the floor, only to be stopped by crashing into the foot of the bed. Staring up at the ceiling, he watched the room whirl and spiral sickeningly around, sending him into an automatic spell of vertigo.

"Jesse?" Jaden leaned over the teal haired boy, his voice filled with confusion.

Jesse found himself unable to focus on the brunette. He couldn't help but grin at the sight of three or four images of Jaden all in a row, yet their features indistinct and blurred.

Finally, he tried to sit up, only to slump back down. Jaden grabbed his wrists and pulled him to his feet. The room was still spinning slightly, but his vertigo had calmed quite a bit. Not to say that his stomach had. His grin faded as his gaze finally settled down on Jaden's sparkling brown eyes. Sighing, he patted Jaden on the head and slipped past him, into the bathroom. He decided that after a quick shower, he'd tell Jaden what he'd done.

The whole time he spent under the cool spray, he planned what he'd say to Jaden. He hated to think about confessing, but he knew he had to. And somehow, he felt as though he was making a bigger deal out of it then he should've. He became defensive. Well, it hadn't been _his_ fault exactly. Chazz had started it. Sure, he'd made a little mistake but…it wasn't _that_ bad now, was it? Jaden would understand. He wouldn't be upset, right? After all, it was clear who Jesse cared more about. Then again, he argued, he hadn't been paying as much attention to the brunette as he felt he should. Perhaps he should've been more attentive. Then maybe he wouldn't have done this. Perhaps if he hadn't pushed himself so much and stressed himself out…Well, that was the past now. He was just going to have to grin and bear it. Not like that was going to be exactly easy. Not that he expected it to be. But Jaden was gentle enough. Maybe he would understand…He truly loved Jaden. He thought he loved Jaden with all his heart. If that were the case…then why did he have those feelings for Chazz? It really bothered him.

Quickly, he stepped out of the shower and dried himself off. He dressed and dried his hair as hurriedly as possible. Then, he quietly stepped out into the adjacent room. His emerald eyes softened at the sight of Jaden sitting at the desk, hunched over a piece of paper.

He walked towards the Slifer, his footsteps almost inaudible due to the plush carpet. Slowly, he reached out a hand and ran his fingertips lightly over the backs of Jaden's shoulders, then let his fingers brush against the boy's bare arm, until he'd reached his hand. Then, he placed his hand fully over the brunette's. Doing this made him feel a little sad. He hated to think about what he'd done. Reaching up with his other hand, he fondled the other boy's cheek, catching a bit of his hair between his fingers so he could lean down and kiss it.

"Jesse…" Jaden began, turning the chair to face him. He looked a little worried, though he tried to mask it with a smile. "Where were you? I didn't want to call you in case you were really busy but…"

Jesse grinned sheepishly at the Slifer. "Jay…I needed to talk to you about that." Nausea settled once more in the pit of his stomach as he tugged on the other boy's hand and pulled him to his feet. Then, he led him over to the bed, where he sat down and yanked Jaden down into his lap.

Jaden stared up into Jesse's sea green eyes, his expression a mixture of worry and confusion. It was almost too much for Jesse to stand. Jaden was just…too innocent. He was totally undeserving of this situation…He'd done nothing to deprive Jesse of affection. Rather, it had been the other way around.

"Well," Jesse said nervously, toying with Jaden's dark hair and twisting it around his fingers as he avoided the boy's intense gaze, "I made a bit of a mistake."

"What happened?" Jaden leaned in Jesse's face, now thoroughly concerned. "Jes? You Ok? You look kinda sick…"

"I might just be overreacting but…it's not the action so much as the meaning behind it," Jesse told him, rubbing the back of his head and smiling weakly. "You see…I kind of…" Here, he dropped his voice and mumbled, "…cheated on you…"

"What?" Jaden's voice grew slightly louder at hearing this. "But…Why?'

"Well, it wasn't like I'd planned it or anything," Jesse explained quickly, "I just had to help Chazz move some of his things to the Slifer dorm, and it took the whole afternoon. I should've told you but…I didn't because I felt like it wouldn't take that long anyway and I was afraid you might be mad that I was blowing you off for Chazz…" He paused momentarily, realizing that his babbling was doing more harm than good. "No, no! It's not like that…It's just…coming out wrong…I didn't mean to blow you off…I didn't want you to think that, that's what I mean. And, well, it took longer than I thought and I just didn't call…and you didn't call so I thought it was Ok and then I had to help him _carry_ the boxes and then I tried to leave but he wouldn't exactly let me….That's when he kissed me…and said he still had feelings for him. And I told him I still felt the same and then my mind just blanked and…I kissed him too…" He took a deep breath and looked sheepish, "But I really didn't mean to do it. I meant to push him away but…I'm really sorry, Jay. I don't like him more than you. It was a mistake and I don't intend to do it again."

Jaden looked uncertain of how to react. His eyes were a bit wide from shock. Then, he smiled wanly. "It's Ok, Jes. I know you didn't mean it. Don't worry about it." He gently pushed Jesse's hands away and crawled off of his lap. But he didn't stop looking at him.

"I didn't mean to hurt you…" Jesse said, his voice hushed to an almost-whisper as he reached out and touched Jaden's face again, "Jaden, please don't act like I haven't been hurting you all this time. Please just be open and honest with me."

Jaden sighed heavily. "Really…I'm Ok. Yes, it does hurt, but I'm not going to hold it against you." He shrugged and closed his eyes. "Hey, I've dealt with friends betraying me and trying to hurt me, even to the point of ending my life! But I forgave them. Why should this be any different? You really didn't do much of anything. I know you feel bad about it. I know you're sorry. We all give into certain temptations at different times...It does bother me…a lot. But it wouldn't bother me as badly had you and him not fallen out the way you did. Maybe…if I didn't love you so deeply…even deeper than you could ever love me…" As he finished talking, his voice cracked a little.

Jesse realized that Jaden wasn't just upset over this incident. He'd been upset over the way Jesse had been brushing him off for the past few weeks too. And this only made him feel worse, to think that his boyfriend would push him away to help out an ex with something that just anyone could've helped him with. All this time, he'd been enduring it.

"Aw, Jay…" Jesse reached out and hugged the other boy, crushing him against his chest. He hadn't recently thought about how much Jaden meant to him. "I love you," He whispered in a trembling tone, stroking the Slifer's hair and rocking slightly.

Jaden tucked his head under Jesse's chin. "I know…" He sighed heavily, "It's Ok, though. Don't worry so much. You worry too much…Just don't do it again, Ok?"

Jesse nodded and blushed as Jaden pushed him down so he was lying on top of him. He felt undeserving of such quick forgiveness; however, he did not object. Jaden dug his fingers into Jesse's shirt, clinging to him as though he'd disappear any second.

"I know you want good grades," Jaden said softly, "I know you need to do your work since that's a priority to you. And I understand. All I ask is for a little bit more of your time. I know things have been crazy as far as classes are concerned lately…But I just want things to go back to normal." Closing his eyes tightly, he nuzzled his nose against Jesse's neck and collarbone. Then, he buried his face deep in the crook of Jesse's neck and breathed softly against the tender flesh.

"Well," Jesse said slowly, gently touching the palm of his hand to the back of Jaden's hair, treating it with delicate touches, "I can forget about my homework tonight for your sake. We really do need some time…" He grinned sheepishly, somewhat ashamed, "I'm really sorry. You should've told me earlier so I could've paid you more attention."

"Oh, no, I'm fine," Jaden insisted, "I just didn't want to bother you since you were busy. It's cool. I have plenty of friends to hang out with."

Jesse caught his face between the palms of his hands, forcing Jaden to look him in the eyes. "Look, if you really need it, you should tell me. Besides, I'm not just your friend. You can't get what you need from just anyone. Not only am I your best friend, I'm your boyfriend too! Next time, please tell me. We need to talk about these things. I don't want to ignore your needs."

Jaden looked down into Jesse's eyes, his own filled with trouble despite the smile on his face. He finally collapsed back down on Jesse's chest, encircling his arms tightly around the others' waist. Clinging with all his might, he began to tremble. "I guess you're right," He admitted, giving a shaky laugh, "I really do need you."

He paused momentarily, staring down into Jesse's face. Suddenly, his eyes widened and he gave a little gasp, "Oh, Jesse!" He dropped his head a bit, his hair flopping in his eyes.

Alarmed, Jesse held him tighter, giving Jaden's face little nudges to try to make him lock eye contact. "It's Ok…I'm right here…Hey, what's the matter now?"

"I'm so afraid," Jaden told him, still laughing softly in the same odd way as before, "It's so stupid that I'm so afraid." All the time he spoke, he avoided Jesse's eyes. He refused to look at them.

"What are you afraid of?" Jesse asked, catching his face in his hands, "Tell me what's wrong."

Jaden pushed his hands away, curling up against his chest almost like a child would. He kept laughing softly, then, he finally forced himself to look up into Jesse's eyes, his brown ones filled with tears despite the wide grin on his face, his teeth chattering. "It's so stupid to be so afraid of losing one you love…" He whispered, quickly wiping his tears away, "Especially if you've only had a dream…Especially if what you think you see you know doesn't exist…"

"But--" Jesse began, looking puzzled, "You were fine just a minute ago! I don't understand…"

"I'm not Ok…I haven't been," Jaden confessed, taking a deep breath and calming himself, though he still remained shaky, "I told you that I'd been having bad dreams…well, they just got worse. And then this happened…I was just afraid you might change on me…People sometimes change…so much that you don't recognize them. So much so, they aren't even the same person anymore. It's like they're dead…"

"Jay, what are you talking about? You're really creeping me out…" Jesse said, watching Jaden for a moment.

"That's because I'm terrified," Jaden told him, catching him by the shoulders, clutching them, "I've tried to be strong…I've tried to forget about it. But those dreams…they just haunt me so badly. It's like…someone's actually trying to tell me something. And then this…Ah, never mind. It's just a dream. I'm being ridiculous." He swallowed hard and snuggled closer to Jesse's chest, closing his eyes, "As long as I have you, I'll be all right. Just…don't leave me."

Puzzled, Jesse just nodded. "O-kay…Are you sure you're all right?"

Jaden took a deep breath and nodded, smiling weakly. "I'll be fine. It's just…sometimes I think that it's real. Like…it's happening now…But then I end up being wrong. And something really scary just happened now…Something I really don't want to tell you about…but it's been happening too often…"

Wondering if he even wanted to know, Jesse asked softly, "What is it?"

Jaden laughed nervously. "Oh, I just thought…I saw your eyes change color…it scared the hell out of me. Because I saw that in my dreams…And I wonder if I'm losing it."

"You must really be freaked out by these dreams then," Jesse murmured, rubbing Jaden's cheek, "Because that's just impossible…"

"I guess so," Jaden relented, resting his head on Jesse's shoulder. "Sorry I freaked out like that…It's just…I don't want you to change. I'm kind of afraid something bad might happen to you."

"And you told me not to worry," Jesse chided gently, "Well, now it's my turn to say, don't worry, Jay. I'm here. I'm not going anywhere. And I'm not going to even leave your side to do my homework. Tonight's for us, Ok?"

Jaden propped himself up on his elbows and looked down at his boyfriend. Jesse could feel Jaden's heart start to beat faster as soon as he'd said this. He watched as the brunette's cheeks flushed with color. This odd behavior continued to puzzle him. He couldn't help but start to become uneasy. The mood swings were so extreme that it made him wonder if Jaden _was_ going crazy.

But no, Jaden wasn't insane. Perhaps he was just nervous. Perhaps he was still upset over what he'd thought he'd seen. Jesse wished that Jaden would tell him more about his dreams. But they seemed too disturbing for the Slifer to properly relate. He just wouldn't talk to him about it.

They lay still for awhile, listening to each others' even breathing and enjoying each others' company. Yawning, Jaden closed his eyes partially. He blinked sleepily.

"Jes?" His voice interrupted the solitude, startling the other boy.

"What is it?"

"Maybe I can sleep if I know you're here..." Jaden mumbled, yawning again, "Don't let me go."

"Are you sure you'd rather sleep? Don't you want to talk?" Jesse asked, somewhat dismayed.

"I haven't slept too well recently," Jaden insisted, "I can't help but be tired. Goodnight."

"Well, 'night." Jesse sounded uncertain though.

He watched as the brunette fell into an almost instant state of unconsciousness. It really worried him how Jaden had been acting. The poor boy was probably just sleep deprived thanks to those dreams. Grimacing a little, Jesse wondered if it was the food that Jaden ate that gave him those dreams. He had told the boy not to eat sardines and pineapple on his pizza. However, Jaden would be Jaden. And something deep inside told him that it wasn't just any dream. After all, the Slifer didn't get upset over just anything. It took a lot to get him down. He wondered if there was more to it than that…Could someone actually be talking to him?

He stared up at the ceiling for awhile, listening to the wind swaying the tree branches and watching the shadows move across the wall. He ran his hand slowly up and down Jaden's back, comforted by the feeling of the brunette's warm body against his own. As long as he held Jaden that closely…all would be all right. He let his eyes droop shut, then fell asleep.

* * *

_Jaden found himself in the midst of a chaotic scene. Terrified people ran around him, dragging whatever household items they'd managed to salvage from the fire that ravaged the city. The streets were tearing apart, as though some great unseen force was ripping them with giant hands. Crevices soon appeared, and lava flowed over, drowning helpless victims in a swirling torrent. Staring up at the darkened sky, he watched as lightning bolts streaked through the air, giving an ear splitting roar. The people's voices and cries melted together as one. They spoke as one. They were one._

_"It's the apocalypse!"_

_"Why can't anyone save us?!"_

_"The hero is the destroyer!"_

_"It is your destiny…"_

_The calm voice was too much. He'd heard enough of 'destiny.' Covering his ears and squeezing his eyes shut, he dropped to his knees and screamed, trying to make it stop. The turmoil lasted way too long. He knew he couldn't sit around and do nothing, no matter how afraid he was. He had to rise up and face his most difficult challenge yet._

_He dared to open his eyes, gathering his courage, bent on saving the people. Even though he tried to duel, there was nothing that could be done. He didn't know who was causing this. He tried to help the bystanders, but they just screamed and ran._

_"You have become that which you hate…feed off of your hatred…It is what you stand for. You _ARE_ hatred."_

Jaden's eyes flickered open. He lay still for a moment, panting, his heart racing. Staring down, he saw Jesse lying beneath him, a peaceful expression on his face. Even though it made him guilty, he envied Jesse. Never before had he felt so disgusted with himself. After all, who let such dreams disturb him that terribly? Who let his dreams take over his life and determine his very actions? It was so uncommon to the boy.

Wiping some of the cold sweat from his brow, Jaden slowly crawled off of the other boy. Immediately, he felt the absence of warmth. He felt so cold…so lonely. Crossing his arms over his chest as though to warm himself, he climbed down from the bed and looked around the room. It was peacefully quiet. Nothing was out of place. Nothing was out of the ordinary. But the calm made Jaden shudder rather than relax.

Figuring he just needed to take a walk to clear his mind, he changed his clothes and slipped his shoes on, pulling his jacket over his shirt to shield him from the cool, misty night air. Glancing back over at Jesse, he couldn't help but smile a little. The teal haired boy looked so happy and tranquil as he slept. Shaking his head, Jaden slowly stepped out into the hall, and closed the door quietly.

Jamming his hands in his pockets, he made his way carefully down the hall and out the front door of the dorm. He breathed in deeply. Yes, the fresh air would do his troubled mind much good. He would be much better if he had some time to get his mind off of it. He really hated dwelling on such unpleasant things. It might've been better to just tell Jesse about his dream. But for some reason, he just couldn't bear to do it. He felt as though it were just insignificant; he could overcome it. It wasn't just the dream itself. It was the feeling that…something like that could happen. That he either lacked the power to stop it…or…possessed the power to cause it.

As he walked down the path, he kicked a few pebbles, watching them go skipping into the dew-covered grass. In the distance, he heard the waves crashing on the rocks. It comforted him to hear that sound. It really had been a good idea to go for a walk.

He closed his eyes momentarily, just absorbing the sounds of the night. He listened intently, letting his stress dissipate. A gentle zephyr toyed with his hair ever so slightly. Sighing in relief, he allowed his worries to fade away.

He became accustomed to the ongoing melody of the night creatures with the wind and the waves. Soon, though, he noticed that some of the animals had quieted down. Hearing a twig snap, he became uneasy. Perhaps it would be a good idea for him to return to the dorm room…

Hurriedly, he turned around and headed back towards the dorm, glancing over his shoulder every now and then. Before he'd made it even half way back, though, a strong, rough hand landed on his shoulder. He froze. Slowly, he turned his head to see who had grabbed him.

"Jaden Yuki," Professor Viper's deep voice and piercing glare greeted him, "What are you doing out here so late? After curfew?"

Jaden grinned a little. "Well, I just needed some fresh air, that's all."

"Well, then, you could've stepped out onto the balcony if you wanted some fresh air," Professor Viper told him, narrowing his dark eyes, "I think that you should come with me. I can't trust a delinquent student such as yourself."

"Hey, I'll just go back to my dorm room," Jaden said, frowning and shrugging, "It's not big deal. If you don't want me out of my room, I just won't do it again. Just let me go."

"I don't think so," Professor Viper said, through his teeth, "I have something I need you to do."

"Well, what is it, then?" Jaden looked irritated, "I thought you said I was trouble. So what's the deal? Come on, just tell me!"

"Demanding," Professor Viper commented, a small smirk tugging his harsh lips upwards, "I think what I have to say will interest you. Come, my boy." He gripped Jaden's shoulders tighter and forced him to walk in front. "Now, listen to me."

Jaden squirmed a bit. "I would've anyway," He muttered, irked, "You didn't have to go to all this trouble, really." He winced a little as Professor Viper's grip tightened.

"You don't understand the consequences at stake here," Professor Viper told him, "I have someone very important to you…And in order to get that person back…you're going to have to help me out in my experiments…dueling experiments that is. You see, you possess a gift. You have a power unlike any other…I'll say no more."

"Uh…you didn't need to kidnap any of my friends," Jaden said, scowling, "If you'd just asked me…"

"No, you wouldn't have agreed to it if you knew what was at stake." Professor Viper told him, "So I took someone who I knew would be extra special to you."

The first thought that came to Jaden's mind was the obvious: Jesse. His eyes widened. "You didn't!"

"Oh, yes, I did. Now come on. Time is running short."

Before he went any further, he stopped and wrapped a handkerchief over Jaden's eyes. Jaden protested, but Professor Viper would hear none of it. He turned Jaden around several times, then shoved him off in some unknown direction. They walked for a ways until the path became rockier and rougher. Jaden tripped a few times, but the hardened man only yanked him back to his feet. Finally, they stopped. There was the sound of Professor Viper tapping on a few keys, possibly to type in a code. Then, Jaden heard the sound of automatic doors sliding open.

They walked into a pitch black hallway. The sound of their footsteps resounded off the walls, which seemed to be made of metal. It was deathly silent. Professor Viper flicked on a light switch, and soon the low buzz of fluorescent light bulbs echoed down the seemingly endless hall. Jaden could only walk blindly until they came to another door. Once there, Viper shoved him through it, to the floor. He removed the blindfold.

Jaden blinked in the dim light. Around the room were several test tubes, and a large glass tank in the middle of the room, which resembled a lava lamp. Off against the wall were computers and surveillance equipment. The rest of the room was a mess of wires and bubbling half-finished experiments. And Jaden had thought that Bastion was bad about leaving a mess with his work!

Professor Viper stepped over to a closet, and opened it. Alexis fell to the ground, tied up in cords, blindfolded and gagged. "Normally," He told Jaden, picking Alexis up, "I would not have kidnapped one of your friends to lure you here. But I need her as well. I need you to duel her…And she resisted a little too much. You both may go back unscathed…as long as my experiments don't hurt you. But don't worry. It's all for a good cause." He grinned wickedly and gestured over towards the tank in the center of the room.

Jaden clenched his fists. "You hurt Alexis!" He said in a dangerously low voice, "How could you?! Well, forget it. If it's going to hurt her, then I'm not going to do it. If I must duel, then I'll duel you! I won't risk hurting innocent people, my friends at that."

"Big words for such a small boy," Professor Viper told him, circling him like a shark and looking him up and down, "But you will duel Alexis. Otherwise, I'll have to use other methods of obtaining your duel energy." He gestured towards the tables of chemicals and test tubes. "So what will it be?"

Jaden bit his lip. "What happens if we duel? What's the worst thing that could happen?"

"Well, considering that you would win," Professor Viper told him, crossing his arms over his large chest, "She would be drained of every last drop of her energy and be killed…at the worst."

Jaden swallowed hard, his fists clenching tighter and trembling. "And the experiments?"

He grinned wryly, "Will be more painful than you could ever imagine. I can't guarantee either of you would survive. But you'd have much more chance at survival than if you dueled…Of course, it does come with sacrifices. I won't get as much of your energy. But I might be able to use you later. Of course, I'd rather you dueled for obvious reasons. The show would be particularly entertaining."

Jaden glanced over at Alexis, then back at Professor Viper. The man was between him and the door. There was no way he could grab Alexis and throw her out so she could escape while he stayed behind and dueled. If he were injured…that'd be just fine with him. As long as she was all right. He might be able to take care of Viper once and for all if they dueled…but Viper was refusing. What choice did he have? He never backed down from a challenge but…Alexis' life was on the line. Could he really risk it like that?

Taking a deep breath, he raised his head slowly, his teeth clenched. "Listen, I won't duel Alexis and hurt her. I just WON'T. I'll duel you. You can have your crappy energy that way. As long as you just let her go!"

Professor Viper laughed at the boy's obvious agitation. "You really are stupid, aren't you? There's no way I'm going to duel. Watching as your friendship is torn apart…there's nothing more satisfying. Watching the life leave your limp bodies; it gives me pleasure knowing that I'll soon have my son back, even at the cost of your worthless lives."

"That's so sick!" Jaden exclaimed passionately, "There are other ways to do these things. You don't have to hurt people! Maybe we could help you…"

"There's nothing YOU can do to help me," Professor Viper insisted, "Well, since it's apparent that you're not going to duel her, I think I'll take it on myself to force your energy out of you!!" He slammed Jaden against the wall, crushing him to the point that he couldn't breathe. "You're going to regret turning my offer down…" He hissed in Jaden's ear, cupping his face in one of his muscular hands.

Having said that, he slammed Jaden to the floor, knocking the breath out of him. Jaden struggled, doing his best to get away so he could save himself and Alexis. He tried to talk some sense into Professor Viper, tried to tell him that he could help, but the man would hear none of it. Soon, he had Jaden properly bound and thrown next to Alexis. He stabbed them with needles attached to what looked like I.V.s, and began to inject them with some sort of clear fluid. Alexis made a small noise of protest, and struggled against the cords.

"What do you think you're doing?!" Jaden screamed, struggling against his bonds and trying to rip the needles from his arm.

"Don't worry," Professor Viper told him, "It's not a poison. It's just a way of putting a certain chemical in your blood that will allow the extraction of your life force once exposed to electricity. You should survive…And if you don't…that's not my problem; now, is it?"

"This isn't necessary," Jaden began again, only to be struck sharply across the face.

"Silence is golden," Professor Viper told him, "Your incessant prattling is wearing on my already thin nerves. I have work to be done. I suggest you comply. If you do, it will be a lot quicker and a lot easier. I'm afraid I can't release you, however. You'll have to live here and supply me with energy until my mission is complete. And then…I think I'll just cause you a rather _mild_ case of head trauma in hopes that either you'll develop amnesia or your rescuers will think you're delusional."

He turned his back on them and began messing with his computers and surveillance controls. Jaden glanced around the room, planning an escape. He wasn't able to come up with a solution for the moment, but he knew he would have to come through for Alexis' sake. Leaning over, he gave her a little nudge with his face.

"Don't worry," He whispered in her ear, "I won't let you down."

She gave a small noise in response, indicating that she'd heard him. He glanced down at the needles in her arm. Suddenly, he had an idea. Leaning down, he took the tubes in his teeth and tried to rip them from her arm. Unfortunately, Professor Viper turned around. He raced over and slammed Jaden's head against the wall multiple times.

Once more, Jaden tried to struggle against him. With each crack of his skull against the hard metal wall though, he felt his sense being knocked out of him. His vision became blurred and splotched with black. He clenched his teeth, trying desperately to endure it. There was no such luck. Eventually, his world went completely black.

Satisfied, Professor Viper turned around back to his computers and seated himself comfortably. "Soon, my son," He muttered, watching the orange substance float in the tank, "Soon you'll come back to me…"

Turning back to the screen, he noticed a figure walking around near the woods. Frowning, he leaned in closer at the image of a certain black-haired Slifer, who was desperately calling for Alexis.

"Damn it," He grumbled, "That meddlesome Princeton kid…I'll have to take care of him. But later. For now…I have other things to attend to."

The last drop of fluid ran into the two teens' veins. Professor Viper smirked coldly as he walked over and carelessly ripped the needles from their arms, letting the blood rush from the broken vessels. Then, he placed metal bands around their wrists, ankles, and necks.

"Let this be the beginning," Professor Viper muttered, picking up a remote control, "And quite possibly…the end."

* * *

**A/N: I know, sucky chapter. It might seem a little bit of a crackish idea…but it's sort of like cracky drama if that's possible…you'll see what I mean in the next chapter. Jaden's not going to let anyone down though….XDD The story may seem cliché now, but I can assure you I have this epic plan for the future and I need this to set it up…sort of. It has nothing to do with the main plot. It's not like they're going to be running from Viper because "OMG he's the really bad villain!!" I think he had reason enough to do what he did. I don't like him but…he's desperate. **


	3. Chapter 3

**A/N: Really, I have been losing quite the nerve. My stories have been taking longer and longer to write…I'm just not sure if I'm doing a good job. I'm really sorry to say that once college comes around in the fall, it's going to be even harder on me and take me even LONGER to update. Hopefully, though, I'll still have time for it, along with my other hobbies. DX I might have to cut art out though. But that's no big deal since it wasn't my forte anyway.**

**Disclaimer: I do not own GX.**

* * *

Chapter 3:

Jaden awoke to the sensation of a thousand tiny needles rushing up his spine. Groaning, he opened his eyes partially, to find that he had metal bands strapped around him. He came to the realization that he was being electrocuted. Alarmed, he decided that he had to do something right then, or else he'd be killed. Glancing over at Alexis, he quickly tried to formulate a plan, any plan. As of the moment, Professor Viper was oblivious to the fact that he'd awakened and was muttering something to himself as he watched the computer screen. Then, he printed a few papers out and stood, leaving the room. Deciding that it was his chance to escape, Jaden gently nudged Alexis, to see if she were awake. A muffled noise was his response. Gingerly, he leaned down and took the cords that bound her in his teeth, pulling at them.

It took a lot of work, but he managed to untie her arms. Weakly, she reached up and untied her blindfold and the piece of cloth around her mouth, then blinked. Seeing their situation, she quickly finished untying herself, then Jaden. They tried to find a way to get rid of the metal bands, but, finding it hopeless, opted to find a way out first. Grabbing Alexis' hand, Jaden leapt to his feet, and hurried towards the door. Unfortunately, Professor Viper was coming back in at the same time they were trying to escape. He scowled and knocked them down.

"Where do you think you're going?" He asked coldly, his fists clenched.

Jaden instinctively crawled in front of Alexis, protecting her. "We're leaving."

Professor Viper responded by placing his boot on Jaden's head, crushing it to the ground. "My boy, you're not going anywhere until I'm done with you. Do you honestly think you can get away?"

Alexis scrambled to her feet, her own fists clenched. "Let him go!" She snapped.

"Or what?" Professor Viper scoffed, "Are you going to throw a tantrum? It won't do you much good."

"I'll duel you for our freedom!" She insisted.

His booming laugh filled the small room. "Weren't you listening? He tried to bargain with me in the exact same manner, and failed. What makes you think you're any different?"

Biting her lip, she looked down at Jaden, who was struggling to free himself. Then, she sighed. "I'll duel Jaden then. You can have my duel energy."

Professor Viper raised an eyebrow. "Now this is different. Why would you offer to exhaust your resources for his sake? You know you won't make it out alive."

"I don't care!" She shouted, her eyes narrowing, "Jaden's my friend, and I'll do whatever it takes to save him!"

"Alexis," Jaden gasped, "Stay out of this…" He winced under Professor Viper's foot, "I can take care of it. Don't do anything you'll regret."

"I can't just stand around and watch!" She protested, "What kind of person do you think I am?"  
"There must be…another way…" Jaden muttered, clawing at the cement floor. He looked up at the Professor, gritting his teeth.

Professor Viper did not utter another word. Instead, he merely yanked Jaden to his feet and threw him against the wall, nearly knocking him unconscious. Then, he grabbed Alexis' wrist and twisted it behind her back, painfully bruising it. She kept her jaw locked, her eyes filled with defiance. She refused to cry out. She refused to make any sound at all. Annoyed, Professor Viper slammed her against the wall just as hard as he'd done to Jaden. Then, he opened the closet and wheeled two human sized test tubes out, plugging them into the outlet.

Jaden's eyes widened. Despite the amount of pain he was in, he managed to crawl on his hands and knees, beckoning for Alexis to do the same. The two kept to the shadows and tried once more to escape. However, their bodies were weakened from being shocked and drained of energy. Professor Viper caught them easily and dropped them into the thick, filmy liquid. He attached wires to the outside of the tank into their receptors, then looked up at the two teenagers.

"This is an ionic substance that should allow me to perform electrolysis on you," He explained, "It's a mere experiment, so I don't know if it will provide me with the proper results. However, the human body is composed of cells, and within these cells energy is produced. That being the theory, if these cells were to be dissolved, then that energy would be released, similar to nuclear fission. I plan to send a mild, but generous enough, electrical current through your bodies and derive the power from within them. Don't worry, it'll go numb soon enough."

He pressed a button on the console. A moment later, intense pain shot through Jaden's body, causing him to writhe and scream out. Hot, searing bolts of electricity coursed through his veins, causing his fingers to twitch involuntarily. Breathing heavily, he begged for the Professor to stop, insisted that there was another way. Professor Viper, however, would hear none of it. He ignored their cries and turned back to the computer screen, satisfied.

Despite the pain he was in, Jaden still tried to think of something he could do. He and Alexis could not survive for long like this. Already, she was beginning to slump over, her eyes rolling back in her head. He had more strength than she did. So he figured he should use it before it was too late. Desperately, he began to move his body back and forth, trying to knock the tube over. After a few attempts, he managed to tilt it enough to throw it off balance. It crashed into the floor, sending shards of glass and fluid everywhere. Quickly, he crawled out of the mess, blood spilling down his face and arms. Shivering and panting, he managed to get to his feet in time to knock Alexis' tube over. Professor Viper turned and lunged at them.

Jaden scooped Alexis up in his arms and leapt out of the way, only to slip on a piece of lubricated glass and fall flat on his back. The breath was knocked out of him, however, that did not stop him. Quickly, he rolled out of the way as the Professor tried to pin him down. Then, he slid across the floor, his grip still tight around Alexis. By that time, she was beginning to recover enough to help him escape. The two scrambled towards the doorway, and this time, managed to get through it.

Even though they were shaken, their bodies still twitching and shuddering involuntarily, they got to their feet and hurried down the hall, clutching hands so they wouldn't be separated. It was obvious that there was no way to reason with Professor Viper. They couldn't duel him since he refused. Their only hope was to turn back, and run, even if it seemed cowardly. At least it was the wise thing to do. It was the only way to preserve their existence.

"Do you honestly think we can outrun him?" Alexis asked, panting as she tried to keep up with Jaden.

"Well, there's only one thing to do--try!" Jaden replied breathlessly.

Looking over his shoulder, he saw Professor Viper was gaining on them. Quickly, he jerked Alexis around a corner to the elevator. He wasn't sure if they'd used it to get in, but perhaps it would at least give them an escape. He pushed the button a few frantic times, until it finally opened. Then, he rushed into the opening, impulsively. For a brief second, they found themselves in mid-air. The next thing they knew, they were falling down a seemingly endless abyss, watching the cable descend. Alexis clung to Jaden's hand, trying desperately to catch the cord with the other. At the same time, Jaden managed to catch the cord. They slid down a ways, causing Jaden to wince. Then, they came to a halt, hanging by the cord. Looking down, they saw nothing but black. Glancing up, the darkness continued. It seemed to be never ending. Then, the door above closed, enveloping them in total blackness.

There was silence, except for their noisy breathing. They hung for a few minutes, unsure of what to do. That was when they heard it: the sound of gears turning and cranking and the sound of rushing wind. Jaden heard Alexis catch a small gasp in her throat. They could do nothing but remain still as the noise grew increasingly loud, as though it were coming towards them.

"It's the elevator, isn't it?" Alexis said breathlessly, "It's coming back up…"

Jaden swallowed hard. "I think so," He whispered hoarsely, "Alexis…you're going to have to listen to me, Ok? If we want to survive…we're going to jump down on the elevator when it's right under us, Ok? Just do it when I say so…"

"Are you sure?" She asked anxiously, "I mean--"

"No time," Jaden gasped as the clanging approached. They could feel the air being pushed upwards, blowing their hair slightly, "Jump now!"

Alexis let out a tiny squeak as they released themselves from the cable and landed in a crouching position. Although the elevator had been hardly a foot from them, it still hurt to land on it, considering how fast it was going. Jaden doubted that elevators really did move that quickly. So, it must be broken in more than one way.

"How are we going to get off?" Alexis asked, her voice trembling, "What if we get crushed against the ceiling?"

Jaden bit his lip. This was a sobering possibility. A bit of light seeped in the shaft from the doors as they opened. Jaden took the opportunity to look around frantically. It was then that he saw it. At first glance, it didn't seem like much, maybe just a shadow on the wall. However, upon further inspection, he found that it was a vent. He didn't question it; he merely grabbed Alexis' hand and jerked her towards it. She didn't even get a chance to protest as he leapt through the air and grabbed hold of the edge, barely managing to roll into the tiny opening in time. The elevator moved past the vent, continuing upwards. They both heaved a heavy sigh of relief.

"That was close," Jaden muttered, crawling down the narrow passage, "Now, let's try to find a way out."

Alexis followed him closely as they made their way slowly on their hands and knees. The vent was dark, and the only way that they could figure out where they were going was by feeling the walls and the bottom ahead of them. After all, the last thing they needed was to fall through. They continued in this manner for a long while, silently as they could. Finally, they came to a dead end. Jaden turned around slightly, to where he supposed he was facing Alexis.

"We can't go on," He murmured, "There's nowhere to go from here."

Alexis sighed. "Isn't there anything we can do?"

"Go back the way we came?" He suggested.

"Well, that's all fine and good," She muttered, a hint of sarcasm in her voice, "Except that we don't know if there are branches that we could possibly get lost in. We don't even know if we went completely straight because it's so dark! I'm getting really uncomfortable with this."

"You're not claustrophobic are you?" He asked worriedly.

"Well, normally, no. But after this, I just might be. This is ridiculous. What if we die up here?"

"We're not going to die," He assured her soothingly, "We'll find a way out. Sure, it might take awhile but…we can do it. And I won't let you get hurt, Ok? I'll protect you with my life. So take it easy."

"That's comforting," She grumbled, "That's really nice of you to say but…I can take care of myself. So please don't do anything foolish."

He refused to answer, only brushed past her and tried to retrace his steps. Alexis finally sighed again and followed him. She had no other choice.

They'd only gone a few feet before Jaden stopped. Because it was dark, Alexis didn't know he'd stopped and crashed into him. She was about to protest, however, closed her mouth when she realized why he'd halted so suddenly. In the distance was a constant, rhythmic clanging, the sound of something bulky and heavy against the pipes. Alexis laid a hand on Jaden's shoulder, catching her breath in her throat despite herself.

"He's coming for us," She whispered hoarsely.

"It's Ok," He assured her in a low voice, "We're going to get out of here. You know that."

"What do we do now?" She asked softly, leaning closer to him.

"I don't know," He admitted weakly, "I guess we'll just keep going. It's the only thing we can do."

"Can't we just stay here?" She asked.

"No. He's going to find us sooner or later. And I'm getting sick of this." He sighed, the irritation evident in his voice, "Let's just go."

She did not protest any more. Instead, she merely followed him. As they crawled down the passageway, the noises grew closer. Suddenly, all was quiet. Jaden crouched, his eyes scanning the darkness for any difference. It was at that moment that a hand fell on his shoulder. He tried to remain still, but it startled him, causing him to jump. Before he had time to react, he found himself pinned down under a great weight. He squirmed and struggled, but all to no avail. Something sharp pricked him in the neck, penetrating deeply.

"This should stop you from your ultimate goal," The Professor's deep voice boomed, tinted with avarice, "I must have your energy if any at all; you possess the strongest duel energy I've ever come across."

Jaden wasn't quite sure what he meant; however, he was not going to stand for being injured any further. Really, he wasn't that helpless. He managed to slip out of the Professor's grasp. He tried to brush past Professor Viper, only to be caught by the ankle. Perhaps he would've continued to struggle had he not heard Alexis cry out in pain. Quickly, he put himself between Alexis and the Professor.

"If you want to hurt her," He hissed, "You'll have to get through me first."

"Jaden, please don't," Alexis insisted, "You just get out of here. I can handle it--"

Jaden ignored her protests and backed up against her, forcing her against the wall. Since he'd been uncooperative, Professor Viper was irked to no end. Against his better judgment, he began reigning blows down on the brunette's head, wanting nothing more than to put him in his place. Jaden endured the beating; all that mattered to him was that Alexis was kept safe. As long as she escaped unscathed, he would be fine. In the meantime, he stayed in front of her, every once in awhile edging away.

Since it was pitch black in the vent, Professor Viper could only go on tangibility to figure out what way Jaden moved. This slowed him down considerably. Jaden used this to his advantage. He continued to edge away until he'd slipped past the Professor. Yanking Alexis by the arm, he pushed her in front of him. He gave her small nudges to indicate that she should go faster. They made their way down the vent, every then and again slipping and crashing against the walls. They scrambled to get out, closely followed by Professor Viper. However, they did have quite another advantage. Professor Viper was much larger than they were, and had a harder time getting through the pipes.

Finally, they saw a bit of light at the end of the tunnel. Alexis kicked the vent cover until it came off, then, dropped down. Jaden followed suite a second later, then, taking Alexis' hand, ran down the hallway, trying to find a way out. They had been lucky to find a way out of the vent. All they had to do then was find a way back to their dorms. That was easier said then done. The building they were in was a confusing labyrinth of rooms and hallways. It was going to be harder than they had thought it would be.

Turning down a hall, they found themselves at another dead end. As they turned to come back around, they were met by whom else but Professor Viper. Jaden pushed Alexis behind him, frowning deeply.

"You're not going to escape this time…" The Professor told them, smirking and raising a tranquilizer gun, "You can be assured of that."

* * *

Jesse woke up with a start. He sat up, panting slightly. What a terrible dream he'd just had! Well, he supposed it was no surprise. He'd been troubled for awhile then. Looking around, he realized that Jaden was not with him anymore. Frowning, he stood and looked around the room. No Jaden. Where could the brunette have gone? He wondered if it had had anything to do with how he'd cheated on him…

Sighing, he pulled out his PDA and tried to contact Jaden. However, his call would not go through. This puzzled him. Did Jaden have it turned off? Or was he somewhere where the signal could not reach? Hopefully, he just had turned it off. Jesse did not like the thought of Jaden being out of his reach.

Finally, he grew anxious enough to dress. Something was not right. If Jaden had been going to be gone for a long time, he'd have left a note of some sort. It was only safe to assume that Jaden had gotten sidetracked. Well, he might as well try to find him and check up on him. It was better than the alternative.

He left the dorm soon after. The night air had cooled considerably, and small droplets of dew chilled his skin all the more. The moon shone clearly through the night sky, in the midst of thousands of scattered jewels. Jesse's teeth chattered slightly. Although he was used to cold weather, he had been cozy in his warm bed only moments earlier. Not to mention he was not exactly comfortable with the atmosphere. It was eerie and quiet. The tension lay thick in the air; it seemed perfect for something ominous to occur.

He folded his arms over his chest, slightly hugging himself as he walked. His eyes darted from one side to the other, scanning the horizon. There was not a soul in sight. Feeling all the more uneasy, he quickened his pace. The thought of Jaden being out there all alone made him feel even worse. How could he have let him leave like that? How could he have been so inattentive? It almost made him want to slap himself for being so careless. Well, he couldn't be entirely sure that Jaden was in trouble. But, judging by the feeling he was getting, he should at least check it out.

At that moment, he heard the sound of a twig crunching. He jumped and turned quickly, despite the fact that he didn't want to. He breathed a sigh of relief when he saw it was only Chazz. The ebony haired teen looked quite frantic, though. This bothered Jesse all the more. Something was definitely not right.

He stepped closer to the other boy, looking concerned. Then, in a low voice, he asked, "Is everything all right?"

Chazz shook his head, looking almost incapable of speech. "It's Alexis," He whispered hoarsely, "She's gone. I can't find her anywhere…"

"I can't find Jaden," Jesse remarked, "Do you think they went off somewhere together?"

Chazz clenched his fists and scowled. "They'd better not have! I'm worrying my ass off about them! And if they're off somewhere talking or anything else, I'm going to be really pissed."

"Why would they be doing 'anything else'?" Jesse asked, though he was less than thrilled. The thought disturbed him. What if Jaden had been so upset about him cheating that he'd decided to give him a dose of his own medicine? He bit his lip, fretting slightly.

Chazz refused to answer this question. Instead, he muttered, "Well, since you're here, you might as well help me look."

Jesse nodded, still hugging himself for warmth. He blamed himself for this whole matter; if only he could make sure Jaden was safe again.

The two boys spent what seemed like hours searching, all to no avail. They checked on all of their friends and searched through the dorms. Finally, they resorted to searching through the woods. Still nothing. It was beginning to seem as though they weren't coming back.

Scratching his head a little, Jesse sighed. "Ok, that's it. I'm calling the police and the school officials."

Chazz shook his head. "Don't do that! We don't know if they're just off somewhere alone and we can't find them…"

"It doesn't matter," Jesse told him, balling his fists, "There's a chance they're in trouble. And I don't want to risk losing them. So we might as well call them. If they show up, then at least we took precautions. Besides, do you really think they'd leave without giving us some way of knowing they were gone?"

Chazz shrugged. "It's possible…"

"I don't want to hear it," Jesse grumbled, "If they're out there somewhere, in danger, I don't want to think 'I should've.' I want to know I did all I could."

Shaking his head, Chazz sighed and relented. "All right, all right. We'll call them. I just hope they can do something about it…"

* * *

Jaden stared down at Professor Viper, swallowing hard. His hands were still shaking, despite the tight grip he had around the pole. Looking behind him, he saw a horrified expression on Alexis' face, her hands covering her mouth. Guilt crept over him as he watched the blood pool at his feet.

"Alexis…I…"

She shook her head, biting her lip. "Don't, Jay. It's all right."

"But…what if I hit him too hard?" Jaden shifted uncomfortably, "Then what do we do?"

"He's not dead, moron; he's breathing!" Alexis pointed out, "Don't worry so much. Let's just get out of here!" Grabbing his hand, she started to drag him away.

Jaden stared back at the unconscious Professor. Really, he was puzzled. He had merely grabbed the pole to ward Professor Viper off and to block his attack. But when he'd pulled a taser on Alexis, something inside of him had snapped. He hardly even remembered what had happened; it was a dim blur. It was almost as though something inside of him had momentarily taken partial control, giving him the strength to do something he'd never do in a thousand years. It was almost as though he'd discovered another side of himself, a tendency to do those sorts of things without a second thought beforehand. Truth be told, he was rather afraid he'd killed Professor Viper. But, if Alexis said it was all right, then perhaps it was. Still, he was mortified with himself.

The two teens managed to find the exit after stumbling around the halls. Both breathed a sigh of relief as the cool night air hit their faces. Then, they hurried off, trying to find their way back to the Academy. Unfortunately, neither of them had a good sense of direction. They ended up going in circles.

"This is hopeless," Alexis sighed, "We've got to stop. Let's just sit down in one place. That way, perhaps someone will find us."

"Yeah, like Viper," Jaden grumbled as Alexis tugged at his hand, forcing him to sit down.

They sat still for a little bit, not sure of what to do. Jaden wondered if they should call for help or build a fire. He'd always seen such things done on television. Of course, this was not television. Besides, it was the middle of the night. Why would anyone be looking for them? They might be missed in the morning, but certainly not then. Not to mention they didn't have anything they could use to make a large enough fire for them to be seen. He thought it was really sad that they were lost on an island. For Pete's sake, it was their third year there!

Suddenly, he laughed a little. Alexis gave him a strange look, but didn't question it, until he snickered again. Then, leaning against his shoulder, she sighed.

"What's so funny?"

He smiled slightly. "I was just thinking about how people were going to laugh at our funerals. I mean, to die from being lost in the woods at a dueling school…that's just pathetic. Not to mention we're third years…"

Alexis shook her head. "You and I both know we're not going to die."

"Yeah, I guess so. I meant if we did happen to die," He leaned back against the tree and gazed up at the stars, "We'd either die from this or…from what was done to us." Grimacing, he shifted a little.

Alexis refused to respond. Neither of them wanted to admit it, but they didn't feel very well. The electric shocks had weakened them considerably. Perhaps the only thing that had kept them going was fear and sheer determination. But since they were out of Viper's grasp, the effects were kicking in. Both were exhausted and aching.

Jaden yawned a little, letting his head drop. He struggled to stay awake; however, he was too drained. Not to mention he felt as though his entire life force had been sucked clean out of him. He could hardly keep his eyes open.

"JADEN!!"

His head snapped up. The familiar voice invigorated him. Although it was difficult for him to do, he pushed himself to his feet, pulling Alexis up with him. He looked around, a wide grin on his face.

"JESSE?!" He called loudly.

A moment later, the bushes rustled and Jesse stepped into the clearing. His emerald eyes widened when he saw Jaden, then, a look of pure relief washed over his features. "Oh, good, you're all right! I was so worried!" He seized Jaden, crushing the brunette against his chest.

"Oof!" Jaden squirmed a little as Jesse's grip tightened, cutting his breath off. "Of course I'm all right…I can fend for myself. Now could you please let me go? I can't breathe…"

Jesse laughed sheepishly and released him. "Ah, yes, I'm sorry."

"It's all right," Jaden sighed, grinning, "We're all right, though we did have a really close call…"

Before he could explain, Chazz hurried through the bushes. He took one look at Alexis' bruises and panicked. "What happened to you?!" He seized her by the shoulders, his brow furrowed in deep concern.

Alexis sighed heavily. "Nothing that I couldn't handle. Jaden and I are all right now. We just had an unpleasant run-in with Viper."

"Viper?" Jesse raised an eyebrow, "What'd he do?"

Alexis shook her head. Taking Chazz's hand, she murmured, "I'll explain on the way back. We should be going."

Jesse nodded and put an arm around Jaden and led him back towards the school. He was more than glad he'd found Jaden. For one thing, he knew the Slifer would never be able to find his way back on his own, due to his poor sense of direction. Furthermore, he had wanted to see Jaden safe. As far as he could tell, aside from the bruises and cuts, Jaden was fairly all right. Well, that and he was slightly shaken. Jesse could feel the brunette's tensed muscles trembling.

He gave Jaden a squeeze and pulled him closer to his heart. Jaden merely allowed this, but made no move to show any affection in reciprocation. Instead, he smiled weakly up at Jesse, though he faltered every then and again. It worried Jesse how he was behaving. Jaden did not seem stable at all. Finally, he stopped and looked up at the teal haired boy.

"Jesse," He sighed and forced a smile, "If you don't mind, I'd like to move back to my old room."

Jesse felt his heart sink. This could not be a good sign. "J-Jaden…" He swallowed hard, "Did I do something wrong? Have I upset you too much?"

He shrugged. "Nah, I'm just lonely and I miss my friends. It's not like I'm abandoning you or anything. You're more than welcome to come with me. It's just…Obelisk is not my cup of tea. In case you didn't know, I actually _like_ the cramped rooms and the lack of privacy and the food and all that. It's because it feels very homey. And my friends are there…and I never meant to abandon them. I need them and they need me. Not to mention I miss the food and the view and everything. I just feel uncomfortable at Obelisk with all its fancy schmancy accommodations and everything. Please forgive me."

There was a long uncomfortable silence on Jesse's half. He smiled at Jaden, though it was a gentle, almost injured smile. "Well, all right then. I'll accept your decision. I don't have to stay in Obelisk anyway since I'm just a transfer and that's just where they put me; I can do without all that stuff too…I'd really like to be there with you. Especially after what happened."

"It's nothing against you," Jaden assured him, patting him on the back, "And I already told you you could come with me. So it's all right if you bunk with me. You do know, though, that I don't need to be babysat. I'm fine."

Jesse bit his lip, uncertain. "Jaden…" He sighed heavily, then relented. "All right. If that's what you want. If that's what will make you happy, then I'll accept it. I'll come with you. I'll go where ever you go."

"Thanks." He smiled up at Jesse, then, suddenly, the smile dropped off of his face.

"What's wrong?" Jesse asked, growing concerned.

Jaden refused to respond for a moment. He felt incredibly dizzy due to the terrible stress his body had been put under. Quickly, he regained his composure. "Ah…it's nothing. I'm all right."

Jesse wasn't so sure, but he trusted Jaden and took his word for it. Perhaps it was unwise, though. Jaden could be in trouble. Although his instinct told him otherwise, he questioned it no further.

Even Jaden wasn't so sure of his own word. In fact, at that moment, he felt a splitting headache coming on. He didn't want Jesse to worry though. So he kept his mouth shut. Glancing up at the sky nervously, he hoped they'd make it back to the dorms soon. He was feeling completely drained.

Jesse noticed that Jaden was hanging his head and walking somewhat sluggishly. He figured that Jaden was just tired but…He did a double take. Had he just seen what he thought he had? Something dropped down on his shoe. Stopping and squinting, he tried to discern what the substance was. He felt a chill run down his spine. There was a trail of blood running from Jaden's nose and mouth…

* * *

**A/N: It wasn't as good as my other chapters because I had to use this as one of the many building chapters. This is not the main problem. And I know what you're thinking. NO this is NOT going to turn out like one of those OMFG JADEN HAS HEALTH PROBLEMS AND IS GOING TO DIIEEEE!!1111!! fics. This is merely a way of conveying something that you will find out later. It's not quite a transition yet…eh, it's getting there. I can't say any more without giving any spoilers away. But don't even go there about Jaden being hurt. Believe me, it's different from what it seems. You'll know what I mean later. :P**


	4. Chapter 4

**A/N: Meh, I just wanted to update this once more before summer ended. I'm really bummed about that. :sigh: I kind of want to go back to high school…especially after that NIGHTMARE I had about college. Ah, well. I'll get over it once I get some DINNER. XD Man, I'm like Jaden, always thinking about food. :P **

**Disclaimer: I do not own GX. If I did, it would be yaoilicious. With smut. But I would keep the card games. XD Because it can get suspenseful. And they can come back from the dead then. **

* * *

Chapter 4:

"Jaden!" Jesse grabbed the brunet's shoulders, forcing the other to face him.

At that moment, Jaden had both his hands clamped over his nose and mouth, but the blood continued to seep through. He looked confused, and slightly disgusted. Using his elbow to nudge the transfer student away, he turned his back on the rest of the group, shielding them from what he considered to be a disturbing, and embarrassing, sight. Then, he pulled his sticky hands from his nose. There was a thin layer of blood covering them. Well, he didn't seem too concerned about it. After all, everyone got nosebleeds. On the other hand, Jesse was hovering over him, trying to peer over his shoulder. Jaden hunched his shoulders a little, trying to prevent him from seeing. He knew Jesse would get upset to see even the littlest bit of blood.

"Jaden, are you Ok? What's wrong? Are you in pain?" Jesse fired these questions off rapidly, growing all the more upset with every second.

Frowning, Jaden finally turned around, a little stream of blood hanging from his nose. He looked cross-eyed at it. "Um, Jess, you don't have to worry. It's just a little blood. Nothing I can't handle. I CAN take care of myself you, know," He pointed out, "Though, a tissue would be nice."

"You're bleeding pretty bad," Jesse said, biting his lip, "Maybe we should take you to Ms. Fountaine…"

"No!" Jaden protested, "I'm fine, really. Don't worry about me. It'll stop in a few minutes, I swear!"

"And what if it doesn't?" Jesse insisted, grabbing his arm, "Come on, let's get you looked at."

Jaden sighed heavily. Jesse was obviously not going to give up that easily. Perhaps it would be best to humor him. After all, Ms. Fountaine would probably just confirm that he'd be all right, and send him on his way. It wasn't that bad. Well, maybe it did hurt a little…scratch that, a _lot_. But he figured he would live. It was just a little migraine…

"What exactly did he DO to you?" Jesse asked, dragging the reluctant Slifer towards the Obelisk girls' dorm.

Jaden pouted, looking like a small child. He refused to tell Jesse, not wanting the other boy to grow all the more frantic. It embarrassed him to be fussed over as though he were completely helpless. After all, the boy had saved the world more than once! He faced lunatics in duels where his life--and those of his companions--was on the line! What was one little nosebleed compared to that? It couldn't be anything seriously bad. Jaden was sure it was nothing.

Unfortunately for him, Alexis told. And she spared no detail. After all, it could be dangerous for their health. The longer she talked, the wider Jesse's eyes grew. Soon, his mouth was open, as well. His sea green eyes slid in the brunet's direction, a look of absolute shock written across his face. His grip around the other boy's arm tightened. Swallowing hard, he shook his head in disbelief. At this point, he was more worried than ever. Jaden most certainly could have died from that! Yet…he remained just as tranquil and obstinate as ever! And he must've been in a hell of a lot of pain…It was astounding to think about how tough the Slifer actually was. Perhaps he shouldn't treat him like such a child; Jaden was right, after all, he could care for himself. And he deserved more respect than he got. Jesse felt ashamed for thinking that he wasn't able to handle it. The boy had been through a lot. Perhaps he should stop doubting his abilities so much…He didn't actually _need _Jesse to take care of him. He could do that on his own, as he was perfectly capable of doing so. Well, Jesse wouldn't be so delusional anymore…

"Um, Jay…" He licked his lips, grinning sheepishly and apologetically, "Sorry…I had no idea…"

Jaden pushed Jesse's hand from his arm, looking slightly irked. "Yeah, believe it or not, I can take care of myself..." He sighed heavily, taking a few deep breaths to calm his irritation, "I'm sorry, Jess, it's just…It really annoys me when you act like I don't know what I'm doing. I'm not as stupid as everyone thinks I am. I'm just lazy, Ok?" He looked at the teal haired boy, his brown eyes softening at the sight. He offered his boyfriend a small grin, and punched him lightly in the shoulder. "It's all good."

Looking uncertain, Jesse slowly nodded. "I'm sorry too…I don't know why I get like that. I just worry about you. And, maybe I am a little overprotective." He laughed nervously and rubbed the back of his hair.

"It's Ok," Jaden sighed, wiping at the bit of blood on his upper lip. He stared at his fingers, frowning. "That's disgusting. Are you sure you don't have a tissue or something?"

Jesse shook his head. "No…sorry."

The Crystal Beast duelist watched Jaden carefully as they stepped into the clearing, in front of the Obelisk girls' dorm. He seemed to be faring all right, though there was a slight limp in his step. In the dim moonlight, he couldn't tell much about Jaden's appearance; he looked a little bruised but not that badly. However, when they stepped into the well-lit lobby of the Obelisk girls' dorm, Jesse had to suppress a gasp. Jaden was covered in not only some very nasty looking bruises, but also several deep gashes. His complexion, normally a healthy tan, was pasty and pale, his eyes drooped in exhaustion. Not to mention the nosebleed had grown considerably worse. Jesse swallowed hard, almost unable to bear to see anyone, especially Jaden, in such a pathetic state.

As they climbed the stairs with Alexis leading the way, Jaden began to stumble. Looking back up at Alexis, Jesse noticed that she was in a similar state as Jaden. At that moment, she was leaning slightly on Chazz's arm for support. She didn't look to happy with the arrangement, but accepted it. He hoped that Jaden would accept his aid then. After all, the brunet was so shaky, he looked as though his legs would give out on him at any moment. Finally, he reached out and grabbed Jaden's arms, steadying him and preventing him from falling. Jaden offered Jesse a grateful smile.

"Thanks," He told him, "And I feel really bad about the way I treated you earlier…I hope you understand." His face reddened at the memory.

Jesse laughed softly, waving it off. "Hey, don't worry about it. I do understand. I was wrong to make you feel awkward about that. Everything's Ok."

Jaden nodded in response, his grip on Jesse's arm tightening. His eyes dropped to the stairs. It was becoming increasingly difficult to keep going. He wanted to lie down and go to sleep where they were at the moment. However, he knew he could do no such thing. For one thing, Jesse wouldn't allow it. For another thing, he was a little worried that if he did that, he might not be able to get up again. Feeling another wave of exhaustion washing over him, Jaden stopped walking and gripped the railing to steady himself.

"You all right?" Jesse asked in concern.

Jaden nodded again. Figuring that he only needed a moment's rest, Jesse stopped as well, letting Chazz and Alexis go on ahead. He couldn't help but feel all the more worried when Jaden closed his eyes and took several deep breaths, as though preparing himself. Perhaps it was to keep himself from passing out. All the same, it bothered Jesse, especially when Jaden released his arm. Jesse placed an arm around his waist and gave him a little nudge with his shoulder, all the while trying to encourage him to keep going. Jaden hung his head, his shaggy brown hair flopping in his eyes. He looked anything but ready to get moving again. But he forced himself to take the next step, with Jesse's help of course. When they finally reached the landing, he turned to Jesse, letting himself slump against the other's shoulder.

"Jess," He said softly, "I'm really tired…Can we please just sit down on the floor for a few minutes? I want to regain my strength."

Jesse bit his lip. He wasn't sure he wanted Jaden to rest. After all, if he did, he might not be able to make it. "Come on, Jay, it's just a little farther. You can do it!" He prodded, looking at the brunet with pleading eyes.

Yawning, Jaden let his eyes half close. His knees buckled a little. Quickly, Jesse tightened his grip around the other's waist, preventing him from falling. Feeling alarmed, he tried to hold Jaden up and lead him down the hall. Jaden, however, was too weak. The feeling as though he'd lost every drop of energy returned. Perhaps he'd pushed himself too much. Perhaps he should've taken the Professor's words seriously. He really had taken his energy! Feeling defeated, he realized he could not continue walking. He'd been through far too much.

Jesse noticed his muscles relax as Jaden started to give into the weakness. He put his other arm around the Slifer as well, trying to keep him standing. Finding this to be difficult, he pleaded again that Jaden try to keep going. Part of him wanted to believe that the brunet was playing a trick on him. Part of him wanted to believe that Jaden was just humoring him. Any moment, the brunet could break out of his act and give his trademark hand sign, along with the playful remark of 'gotcha!' Or, perhaps he would just laugh and straighten up, saying that he was only kidding. Quickly, he reprimanded himself. How could he think like that? It wasn't as though Jaden were dying, right? Then why should he be getting so dramatic about it? Well, perhaps it was because he worried about the brunet's well-being far too much. He needed to relax, and tell himself that Jaden had everything under control, like he usually did. It would be all right. He just needed to reassure himself this. How could he be such a liar to tell Jaden that everything would be fine when he didn't believe it would be? He had to believe that things would work out, just as Jaden did. Perhaps he was optimistic in most situations. But when it came to Jaden, he couldn't be careful enough.

Jaden's thin voice broke him of his thoughts. "Jess…" He sighed, looking sleepy as he rubbed his eyes, "Could you please carry me? I don't think I can go on…"

Jesse's eyes widened in alarm. Jaden HAD to be kidding, he just had to! He wouldn't say anything like that…He would never ask to be carried, would he? At that point, more than ever, he was convinced that Jaden was jesting.

"Jesse, please," Jaden said tiredly. His legs felt like jelly. He was sure he couldn't hold himself up much longer. "I'm about to pass out. Seriously."

Seeing that Jaden really did look like he would faint, Jesse complied with the request. He scooped the Slifer up in his arms. He strained a little under Jaden's weight. Even though he exercised and lifted weights, he hadn't been expecting for Jaden to be so heavy. He should've known, though, since Jaden had lain on top of him a few times. Still, it was a surprise, especially considering how thin the boy was. Jaden smiled up at him gratefully as Jesse carried him down the hall. His head dropped on Jesse's shoulder, his silky, umber locks tickling the other boy's neck. Yawning, he let his eyes close, and started to drift to sleep. Jesse did not like this.

"You'd better not go to sleep," Jesse told him, frowning, "I don't want--" He quickly stopped himself before he could say the rest of the sentence. There was no way that Jaden should know that he feared that the boy might not wake up. It was stupid to be afraid of that, anyway. After all, Jaden didn't seem too alarmed. He didn't seem to be in too much pain. Jesse relaxed a little, reminding himself that Jaden wasn't that fragile. Really, he needed to get a hold of himself. He couldn't spend his time worrying about the boy, especially when he was just fine! It wasn't good for him, it wasn't good for Jaden, and it certainly was no good for their relationship. He had to learn to trust Jaden to take care of himself. He'd always done it in the past. After all, he'd grown up mostly isolated, since his parents had full time jobs. He remembered Jaden telling him that much, though it had seemed casual enough.

Taking a deep breath and letting it out slowly, he asked gently, "You doin' all right?"

Jaden nodded in response. He yawned again and buried his face in the crook of Jesse's neck. Jesse felt a little relieved, until something warm and wet made contact with his skin. Instantly, he reminded himself that Jaden wasn't out of danger yet. He quickened his pace, trying to catch up with Chazz and Alexis. However, they were nowhere in sight. He figured that if he kept going down the hall, it'd lead him somewhere. Seeing a light from around the corner and hearing hushed voices, he figured that might be where they were. Sure enough, Ms. Fountaine was standing out in the hall, wearing a robe and fussing over Alexis, who was sitting on a nearby bench against the wall.

Chazz looked up when Jaden coughed, and frowned. "Well, it's about time. What took you? We were worried you'd wandered off somewhere."

Jesse shook his head. "No, Jaden just…didn't feel like he could keep going. I tried to give him a moment to rest, but he only felt worse."

"Is he all right?" Chazz asked, trying to cover up his concern by asking it casually and leaning against the wall.

Jesse stared down at the shivering brunet in his arms. "I don't know…"

"I'm Ok," Jaden mumbled, his voice muffled by Jesse's neck.

Chazz and Jesse exchanged a glance. Jaden didn't sound like he was all right. Seeing that Jaden needed the help perhaps more than Alexis did, Ms. Fountaine straightened up and turned her attention to the Slifer. Jesse set him down on the bench, propping him up to keep him from collapsing on his side. All it took was one look for Ms. Fountaine to make up her mind.

"Get him to the infirmary NOW." She commanded them, "I'll be right there as soon as I tend to Alexis. She's not nearly as hurt…"

"Well, that's because Jaden took most of the blows for me!" Alexis spoke up, frowning, "I didn't want him to, but he insisted. And now look at him! He acted like nothing was wrong with him, either. He acted like he was just fine up until a few moments ago!!"

"Well, he's anything but fine," Ms. Fountaine said, frowning and planting her hands on her hips. Then, sighing and holding her head in a hand, "Really, that boy needs to learn to take better care of himself…He pushes himself too much, whether he thinks of it as work or not."

"Well, I'm going to stay here with Alexis," Chazz sighed, seating himself on the bench next to the blonde as Jesse picked Jaden up again. "I want to keep an eye on her…"

Alexis swatted Chazz's arm, giving him the warning look. "I'm fine, though I should probably stay here for awhile. You'd better go give Jesse a hand. Jaden isn't doing so well. And if I can't be there for him, I want you to go in my place. Besides, he's a good friend of yours, right?" She raised an eyebrow, giving him the evil eye.

Grinning a bit nervously, he nodded, and muttered somewhat sarcastically, "Yes, dear."

She shot him another look. "Be nice," She scolded as he rose from his spot on the bench.

Grumbling, he followed Jesse down the hall, his arms crossed. He did not look as though he wanted to come at all. Even though Jesse knew it was because he didn't want to leave Alexis, since he felt protective of her like he did over Jaden, it caused a bit of anger to flare inside of him. The last thing Jaden needed was for Chazz to be behaving so rudely over helping him. He knew Jaden wouldn't take it personally, but still…He shot Chazz the same glare that Alexis had given him only moments earlier. This resulted in Chazz mirroring the expression and throwing his arms up in the air, in exasperation.

"What the HELL have I done now?!"

"You need to be more considerate of others," Jesse told him as they descended the stairs, "Think about how Jaden feels right now! And you're acting like you don't care about him at all…Even after he saved Alexis all that grief like that! I would've thought you'd at least thank him for that…I think what he did was very noble."

"Ah, yes, what _chivalry_," Chazz stated, every word dripping with sarcasm, "Look, Jesse, I understand that it wasn't easy for him to do that. And I understand why you're so worried about him. I am too. But isn't that what anyone would do? You've been really uptight."

"Excuse me?" Jesse's frown deepened, "I hate to say it, but you're being far more uptight than I am. Please don't make this more difficult than it has to be…"

Chazz opened his mouth to make a nasty comeback, only to be interrupted by Jaden. "Could you guys please cut it out? I really am not feeling up to dealing with an argument."

Jesse sighed heavily. "Well, you're right, Jay. Sorry about that, Chazz. I'm just a little bit stressed right now…and you're not helping."

Grumbling under his breath, Chazz sighed as well before replying. "Well, I guess it's all right…Though you seem more than a little stressed to me." He didn't ask what was bothering Jesse though.

They walked through the dorm's double doors out into the cool, damp night air. The moon shone eerily through the mist, causing it to glow silver near the grass. The blades squeaked a little under their shoes, which soon became saturated in the dew. Jesse shivered a little. The thin material of his dress shirt absorbed the moisture a bit, sending a bit of a chill through him. He hugged Jaden's warm body closer, trying to keep the other boy, and himself, from getting too cold. His teeth began to chatter slightly. The temperature had seemed to have dropped during the few minutes they'd been encompassed in the heated dorm. Well, the crisp, cool weather was characteristic of autumn. What made it so bad, though, was the humidity. He noticed Jaden's muscles tense as he shivered more violently.

"It's Ok," he murmured reassuringly, grazing his lips to Jaden's forehead, "We're going to be there soon."

Chazz sighed from behind them, as a reminder that he was still present and watching. Jesse's face burned as he quickly withdrew his mouth. An amused chuckle escaped from Jaden's lips. Jesse could not help but smile at this. If Jaden was laughing, then that was a good sign. He bit back his relief, however, as Jaden began to cough. Grimacing as he pulled his hand from his mouth, Jaden looked at the generous amount of blood smeared across the palm. Jesse glanced down, biting his lip.

"Jaden, how do you feel?" He asked, shifting the other boy's weight in his arms to make it more comfortable to carry him.

"Not that great," Jaden admitted, wiping his nose with the back of his hand, "I think I'll make it though." He forced a smile, then let his forehead drop back on Jesse's shoulder.

Jaden buried his face deeper in Jesse's collarbone. The teal haired duelist was surprised to feel how hot Jaden's forehead was against his cool skin. Then again, it was rather chilly out, so perhaps it wasn't fever. Still, with the condition Jaden was in, he didn't want to take any chances. He quickened his pace again. Chazz had to trot to keep up.

"Damn, it's not like we're running a marathon or anything," Chazz complained, slipping a little on the damp grass. He growled and regained his balance, trying to appear dignified. Jesse ignored him.

They finally reached Duel Academy's main building. Jesse breathed a sigh of relief as they stepped into the cozy interior. It felt welcoming after having been outside in the eerie atmosphere. Their wet shoes squeaked on the freshly cleaned linoleum floor as they made their way down the hall, the fluorescent lights flickering and buzzing above them. Jaden looked all the paler under the blue-white glow, and all the more injured. Jesse ducked into the infirmary, which was just off to the side. Feeling a bit relieved, he set Jaden down on one of the beds, then took a seat by him. Chazz leaned up against the wall, his arms crossed, a frown set deeply on his face.

"Why do we always seem to end up here whenever something weird happens?" He grumbled, his nose in the air, "Jaden's always getting the worst of it, too."

"That's because he cares too much," Jesse said grimly, tucking the brunet beneath the crisp sheets.

"Well, he better start caring about himself," Chazz muttered, frowning deeper, "Or else he won't be able to help anyone else."

"Don't worry," Jesse sighed, "I'll make sure that he takes the time to get better on this one…"

"Don't let him go running off," Chazz grumbled, sinking down to sit on the floor, "I really hate it when he does that."

"Because you get worried about me?" Jaden asked, peeking above the sheets and smiling a little.

Chazz muttered something under his breath and turned his head in the other direction. Chuckling softly, Jesse shook his head as he took a tissue out of a nearby box to wipe Jaden's nose with. Jaden snatched the tissue from Jesse and pressed it to his nose, giving him a pointed look. Jesse grinned sheepishly; he'd forgotten that Jaden didn't want to be fussed over. It embarrassed him to be treated like a child.

"Sheesh, Jess," He teased lightly, "You're not my mom."

Jesse's face turned red. "Sorry, it's just…I kind of get like that over you. I guess I just worry too much."

"I'll say," Jaden said, smiling a little, "But it's Ok. Chill, Ok? I'm fine. I just don't feel that well."

"Yeah, I can imagine," Chazz sighed, gazing back over at the Slifer, "I mean, you went through a hell of a lot…It's amazing that you didn't DIE from that. How are you even talking now?"

"It wasn't that bad," Jaden insisted, shrugging it off, "I'm just really tired…It comes in waves. I feel better now…let's hope it lasts. Before you found Lex and me, I wasn't feeling that good. Then I felt better. Then I felt horrible again. Now I feel better."

Jesse glanced at the clock on the wall. He hoped that Ms. Fountaine would hurry up before Jaden started feeling ill again. In the meantime, he could only keep an eye on him to make sure he stayed in bed and didn't do anything strenuous. Perhaps some rest was all he needed. Looking back over at Jaden, he noticed with a hint of relief that the brunet's nose had stopped bleeding. Jaden looked relieved as well.

"Oh, good," He said, smiling, "Now I can sleep without worrying about getting blood all over the sheets." He scratched his head, his eyes directed up towards the ceiling, "Though, I guess that makes this trip useless." He paused a moment, grinning widely and sitting up. "Hey, I told you so, Jess! I told you it'd stop."

Jesse wasn't so sure. However, he just smiled and nodded. Maybe if Jaden believed he was just fine, then it'd be all right. Reaching over, he ruffled Jaden's messy brown hair affectionately. "Ok, Ok…Maybe I did freak out too much over nothing."

At that moment, Ms. Fountaine slipped through the door. Sighing, she dropped a manila envelope on the messy desk in the corner, then stepped over to the bed to take a closer look at Jaden. "I see the bleeding has stopped," She murmured, taking Jaden's wrist in her hand to check his pulse, "That's a good sign. Now, what exactly happened?"

Jaden hesitated. Jesse did not understand what made him so reluctant to relate the tale. Had there been more to it than Alexis knew? Was there some sort of secret he wasn't supposed to know? Whatever the case, Jaden better tell the story in its entirety. He watched the brunet carefully, giving him a small, encouraging smile.

Sighing, Jaden hung his head a little. "Well, I guess I have no choice then…Besides, I wouldn't want the same thing to happen to anyone else, and I most certainly don't want Alexis to suffer just because I wouldn't tell." He sighed again, then slowly revealed everything that had happened as Ms. Fountaine looked him over more thoroughly.

Even though Jesse had already heard the story from Alexis' point of view, it was all the more shocking to hear it from Jaden's. Since Alexis had been blindfolded, she had not been able to properly discern all that had happened. On the other hand, Jaden knew most everything that had happened, save for the time he'd been unconscious. By the time he'd finished, deathly silence had fallen over the room. Jesse, Chazz, and Ms. Fountaine all stared at the brunet, then exchanged worried glances with each other. Looking a little overwhelmed, Ms. Fountaine seated herself in her swivel chair at the desk and put her head in her hands as she thought.

"This is not good," She murmured, shaking her head, "This is really not good. If Viper really did what you say he did, then your body could very well be destroying itself. So many things could come out of that…You could have seizures; your organs could shut down…your risk for cancer might have even been raised. Not to mention there's a high possibility that bacteria has entered your bloodstream from the needles, if he didn't store them properly. Or you might've been infected with some sort of virus. We'll have to see. Right now, I'm a little concerned about that nosebleed of yours. Normally, it wouldn't be anything to worry about. And since it's stopped…Still, it tells me that a blood vessel burst, and since it was coming out your mouth too…Either there was enough blood to drip into your lungs, or it was a separate injury from a blunt blow to the chest. Since you have injuries to your chest, that could be possible. It seems as though it's clotted though, for the time being. But I'm not sure since you told me you were shocked…Who knows? You could be just fine. Time will tell…"

Jesse swallowed hard. "Um, well, do you think he'll be all right, though?"

She straightened up. "Well, I suppose the worst could be over and all he would need would be some rest and supervision. So we'll just wait and see, all right? He has to stay here overnight, definitely. I'll keep an eye on him and make sure he doesn't get any worse. I'll give him some medication for pain, and if it comes to it, for the bleeding. However, he seems stable for the moment. Just…exhausted. His energy has been stripped of him, most certainly. At any rate, I'll make sure he'll be fine. You boys go on back to your dorms now. He's in good hands."

"But, Ms. Fountaine," Jesse protested, looking at her with pleading eyes, "What if Jaden needs us? Can't we stay, please?"

Chazz grunted a little. "You can stay, but I have to check up on Alexis. Call me if anything happens, though." He stood, and brushed the dust from the floor off his jacket, heading for the door.

Ms. Fountaine sighed, standing and leaning against the counter a little as she went through the drawer, looking for some medication. "Well, I've already attended to Alexis. She's not doing nearly as bad as Jaden was…Unless it's delayed. I know she was shocked with electricity as well, but…her boots had rubber in the soles so it wasn't as bad. Jaden was only wearing sneakers. They had some insulation, but not as much…At any rate, she's not doing so well, but she's doing better than Jaden is. I put her to bed for the time being, so I really would prefer if she was left alone. She has her PDA to call me at any time she needs. But she wasn't bleeding so…I just gave her some medicine and left her. So, Chazz, go on back to your room. She doesn't need you stressing her out."

Pouting a little, Chazz opened his mouth to protest, but Ms. Fountaine would not have it. She told him her decision was final, so he stormed angrily out of the infirmary, shutting the door rather hard behind him. If he knew Chazz like he thought he did, Jesse figured that the ebony haired teen would go sneaking into Alexis' room anyway. Well, that was none of his concern, especially not for the time being. He turned back towards Ms. Fountaine, looking hopeful.

"Can I please stay with Jaden?" He asked hopefully, "I just want to make sure he's all right."

Ms. Fountaine drew a glass of water and walked over to the bed, handing the pills in her palm and the glass over to Jaden. Sighing heavily, she shook her head. "He needs his rest. And you need yours. You may come back in the morning."

Jesse looked down at Jaden worriedly. The brunet took the medicine and then yawned. "I am really tired," He admitted, "but I would kind of like it if Jesse could stay."

Ms. Fountaine frowned. "Well, I really don't know about that. After all, you still have to go to class in the morning. And bring him the notes he missed as well as his homework."

Jesse shifted a little. "Please, please, please! I'll still go to class and I'll be really quiet too, I promise."

"Yeah," Jaden chimed in, "He won't bother me! I'll be fine. I promise to rest."

Both boys looked at her with hopeful, imploring gazes. "Pleeeeeeeeeeaaaase?!" They said in unison.

Heaving a lengthy sigh, she finally nodded wearily. "All right, all right. If it matters that much. Then, go ahead, be my guest. Besides, it might be nice to have someone watch Jaden. Especially since I might have to go check on Alexis later. You can stay, but you must be quiet, Jesse; Jaden, you get some sleep, Ok?"

Jesse nodded in response, and leaned back in his chair, against the wall. He smiled at Jaden, who was already falling asleep. Yawning, he stared up at the ceiling and tried to rest as well. Sleep would do him good. He was tired, having been awoken in the early morning. Not to mention he had to stay awake in class later for several different reasons. He let his eyelids droop shut as a wave of exhaustion overtook him. Unable to help himself, he let his chin drop to his chest and he fell into a state of semi-consciousness.

All was quiet, except for the muffled noises of papers rustling as Ms. Fountaine worked through the night. This went on for what seemed to be several hours, until the sky began to lighten as dawn approached. It was at that time that a new sound replaced the sounds of silent working. Murmured voices broke through Jesse's heavy veil of sleep. Still drowsy, he paid it no attention. That was, until he picked up on the slightest hints of concern in their tones, resulting in voices being raised. This commotion woke him enough to hear their conversation, though it took a few minutes for his fogged over mind to process it.

"What?! I thought for sure you would go check on her, since you're the type that would disobey orders."

"I did, actually. But then I left and when I came back, she was gone!"

An exasperated sigh. "This is bad…"

"This is getting ridiculous! I mean, it's already happened ONCE today. And now this?! What the hell is going on?"

Jesse opened his eyes, feeling groggy. He let his vision adjust, then blinked as he watched Ms. Fountaine continue to argue with Chazz. Realization hit him. His eyes widened. "It's Alexis again, isn't it?"

The two looked over at him, a bit surprised. Then, Ms. Fountaine nodded. "I'm afraid so…Either she wandered off somewhere without telling anyone, or she was kidnapped again. I've already reported the first incident to the Chancellor, but perhaps now we should try to take further measures."

"Well, what gave you that idea?" Chazz snapped, "Of course we should! Anyone could be next…"

Jesse frowned and stood, stretching a bit. "Well, I reckon we should go looking for her again."

Ms. Fountaine shook her head. "You kids should stay here, where you're safe. We'll send someone after her; don't worry. It's just…we can't have any more students getting hurt, all right? It's the responsible thing to do. Besides, you might make things worse."

Chazz and Jesse exchanged a glance. "We should do it," Jesse finally said, "because she's our friend and that's the responsible thing to do. We'll be fine."

"Don't say you're going anywhere without me," Came Jaden's voice from behind them.

Jesse turned to gawk at the Slifer. "You're awake already? And you want to go?"

Jaden nodded, a resolute expression on his face. "You can't go without me. I have to help her, too! I want to get down to the bottom of this, myself."

Ms. Fountaine shook her head. "Even if they do go, you have to stay here, Jaden. You're still recovering. Besides, I have to keep an eye on you."

"Yeah, you wouldn't want a relapse," Chazz grumbled, leaning in the doorframe, "You wouldn't do us much good, then."

"Chazz is right," Jesse told him, "You might make things worse for yourself and for Alexis. Just stay here. We're going to go look, but we'll be back soon, I'm sure." He offered Jaden a smile. "Don't worry about it."

"Hold on; you can't go," Ms. Fountaine insisted, "I already said you should stay here."

"How can we sit around and while Alexis might be hurt?" Jesse protested, "We HAVE to do something."

Chazz nodded. "Oh, come on. We've faced danger in the past. We're more than capable of handling ourselves. Besides, we're older now, too."

"Hey, you guys, if you think I'm just going to lie in a hospital bed, you're SO wrong," Jaden insisted, jumping to his feet and grabbing his deck holder from the nightstand, "I'm going too, and that's final. I'm better now, I swear!"

"Jaden!!" Ms. Founatine protested, "You need to--!"

It was too late. The exuberant brunet was already racing out the door, as fast as his legs would carry him in his current condition. Jesse and Chazz groaned. There was no holding him back, especially when it came to helping one of his friends. Jesse began to have a new respect for the other boy. Seeing him in action like this, he realized just how strong a person Jaden really was. He shouldn't be concerned. In fact, he relaxed a little despite himself. Shouldn't he be worried sick? Well, no matter. Jaden had more than proved that he could care for himself and others. After all, even if he did push himself, he was healthy enough to make a speedy recovery. Or so it seemed. Biting back the worry that tried to raise its head again, Jesse shrugged then raced off after Jaden.

"Hey, Jay, wait up for me! I want to help!" He yelled down the hall.

Jaden grinned cockily at Jesse over his shoulder. He skidded to an abrupt halt, letting the teal haired boy catch up to him. "You're not going to try to stop me?"

"Of course not!" Jesse panted, crossing his arms and smiling a little, "I see now that there's no holding you back. You could help, actually. After all, you've always beaten all odds from the stories I've heard. Come on, I'm sure we can do this together."

"What changed your mind?" Jaden asked, beginning to run again.

"Oh, just that little show in there," Jesse laughed, "That and the fact that I realized you can do just fine on your own. Since you seem to be stronger than I thought…"

"You mean you returned to the way you thought of me before we got together," Jaden corrected, "Since then, you've been acting like I can't fend for myself."

Jesse's face turned red. "Sorry, Jay. I'll try not to do that so much. Next time, just tell me I'm screwing up, Ok?"

Jaden just grinned and nodded. He didn't question Jesse's sudden change of mind. However, Jesse did. He wondered if he could keep it up for long.

At the moment that they pushed through the door, Chazz finally caught up to them as well. "Well, you guys sure are fast," He grumbled.

"We have an incentive to be," Jesse told him, "After all, anything could happen to Alexis if we wait too long." He turned his attention to the brunet. "Now, Jaden, do you remember where you and Alexis were last? That could be where she is now…"

Jaden thought for a few moments. He stopped on the concrete pathway, crossing his arms and looking around, his hair blowing about his face by the gentle wind. Finally, he pointed to the right. "We should go towards the dorms," He said, "I think I can find my way back if we retrace our steps."

"Ok, sounds good," Jesse agreed.

"As long as you don't forget, slacker," Chazz grumbled, stuffing his hands in his pockets, "She could by _dying_ or something."

He began to complain, though Jesse and Jaden didn't pay him too much attention. They let him get it out of his system. It was best that he was calm by the time they faced whatever enemy they were staring down. Even though it was obvious that they were tuning him out, he didn't seem to notice. He kept ranting the whole trip. Jesse and Jaden exchanged a glance and rolled their eyes. They wished he would be quiet, since he might give them away. However, they didn't tell him to stop just yet. They had more to be concerned about than Chazz's bitching.

From afar off, a bulky man sat in front of a computer screen, watching the students run across the screen. A smirk spread across his tanned face as he placed his hands behind his bandaged head and leaned back in his chair. "Ah, I see that they're finally coming. It's about time. And what luck to have so many…Safety is not always found in numbers."

Laughing softly, he turned towards the blonde girl chained to the wall. She struggled against her bonds and glared at him with fiery amber eyes. He merely smirked at her obvious frustration from not being able to speak due to the piece of cloth in her mouth.

"Well, there's no need for you to worry anymore," He told her, his deep voice resounding off the concrete walls as he took her chin in between a finger and a thumb to force her to look at his face, "You're nothing but bait for the one I really want. Jaden Yuki is the only one that can do this…"

She glared at him as he turned back to the monitors. He laughed again as he watched them come closer. This was going to be rich. A slow smirk spread across his hardened features. He only anticipated the challenge of defeating them as a group. After all, the more victims, the more energy he would obtain for his purpose.  
"Not that much longer," He murmured, ignoring the dull throb of his headache, "Soon, my son, soon…I failed last time. But I can promise you that it won't happen again."

* * *

**A/N: Sorry of ending with MOAR foreshadowing and cliffhanger…I just didn't know how else to do it. XDD But don't worry, there will be some resolutions, important plot development, and relationship development next chappy. :D You guys will get your fill of spiritshipping eventually. Just be patient…**


	5. Chapter 5

**A/N: Umm, I'm not too sure I like how this is going but I'll give it a shot. DX It's jumping around to much and not transitioning smoothly…I'll try to do better. :)**

**Disclaimer: I do not own GX.**

* * *

Chapter 5:

The three boys stood in front of the large complex, hesitant to go in. They did not know what to expect. They did not know what dangers might greet them once they entered through the doors. Of course, they could guess based on Jaden's previous experience. It wasn't exactly something that they were welcome to. If it weren't for the fact that they had to do this for Alexis' sake--and quite possibly the sakes of others too--then they might not have done it. Or, at least, they wouldn't have been quite as impulsive about it. However, there they were, and time was wasting.

Jaden made the first move. Although Jesse and Chazz were quite uneasy, he stepped forward boldly, none too carefully, a resolute expression etched across his delicate features. The other two exchanged a glance before following him into the dark depths of the building, the doors shutting behind them, trapping them in the dimly lit space.

They tried to walk as quietly as possible, though their footsteps still echoed slightly. Jesse hovered closer to Jaden, so he might keep an eye on the adventuresome brunet. There was no telling what sort of trouble they might find themselves in then. Jaden tended to leap into things without thinking about it. Even though he might have meant well, it still could cause plenty of harm for the rest of them. Worry flooded over the teal-haired duelist at this. He put a hand on Jaden's shoulder, partially to reassure himself and partially to keep Jaden in line.

Suddenly, Jaden stopped. Jesse's grip on his shoulder tightened, alarm heightening all his senses. Was Jaden all right? Was there danger approaching? What could be wrong? He watched as Jaden scratched his head and looked on either side of the hall, looking perplexed.

"Ah, um…" He paused and turned to the others, grinning weakly. "Guys, we have a big problem."

"What's that?" Jesse hardly dared to breathe as he asked this, his clear green eyes wide as saucers.

"I don't know where the room I was taken to is…" Jaden admitted, shrugging.

Folding his arms over his chest, Chazz scowled deeply, his words dripping with bitter sarcasm. "Well, isn't this just great? We come not even knowing if she'll be here for sure, risk our lives, and then you don't even know where to take us. Nice going, slacker."

"Sorry," Jaden smiled sheepishly as he answered, "I'll try to remember, Ok? We'll think of something…Right guys?"

Chazz muttered something negative under his breath. On the other hand, Jesse nodded encouragingly, patting Jaden on the back as though to urge him on. Jaden looked at Jesse gratefully. It was apparent that he wasn't so sure of himself anymore. Not to say that he lacked confidence entirely, he just didn't know what to do. The three teens stood in the hall, each trying to brainstorm a possible solution.

"Well, we could split up," Jaden finally suggested, rubbing his chin thoughtfully.

"No way!" Chazz exclaimed, "Have you even watched the movies? That's the most dangerous thing you can do! One moment, you're walking along, minding your own business. The next, something shadowy jumps out of nowhere and grabs you up and begins to rip you to shreds--"

"Ok, that's enough," Jesse interrupted, shuddering slightly.

"What's the matter, Andersen?" Chazz asked, smirking and leaning forward in Jesse's face a little, causing the latter to take a shaky step back, "You scared?"

Laughing nervously, Jesse rubbed the back of his hair and tried to come up with an appropriate response. "Well, um, I…it's not quite like that, you see. I'm just kind of nervous…I don't really like the sound of being eaten alive as much as the next guy."

Chazz opened his mouth to give a witty response, only to be silenced by Jaden. "Um, you guys, maybe we should just start checking doors on either side of the hall. There's not too many, so we should be done fast. And we don't have to split up that way either."  
"That sounds like a good idea to me," Jesse agreed.

"Nah, it's an all right idea," Chazz muttered, looking grim, "If it's all we can do, then I guess we should get to it."

Jaden nodded then turned to the door directly behind him. The other two went a little ways down the hall, opening those doors and peering in cautiously. Jesse kept an eye on Jaden, worried that any moment the brunet might be snatched and need his help. Reminding himself that Jaden was completing capable of handling himself, he forced himself to turn back to the task at hand. Alexis was in dire need of his help, definitely more so than Jaden was. He knew that if Jaden were to be snatched, he'd demand that Jesse and Chazz go look for Alexis all the same. And he knew that he would honor Jaden's request, no matter how hard it would be for him to accept.

The three boys spent several minutes peering in doors. The building seemed to be completely desolate, void of any life. Eerie silence hung heavily over their heads, broken by the occasional creaking. By that time, they'd reached the end of the hall, with no luck. Jesse turned around to say that they should go ahead and check the next floor, only to find Jaden was gone. Fear for the other boy grappled him, catching in his throat. Grabbing Chazz by the shoulder as though he might disappear too, he turned the other boy's attention to Jaden's absence.

"Where'd he go?" Jesse asked, his voice growing a bit hoarse.

Chazz's dark eyes darted around the hall uncertainly. "I don't know," He grumbled, "It was _your_ job to babysit him."

Jesse grasped his other shoulder as well, forcing the ebony-haired teen to look him in the eyes. "You know," He told Chazz, frowning disapprovingly, "we were all supposed to look out for each other. And I can't keep my eye on him all the time. Come on, Chazz! Don't be like this! Remember the condition he's in…He's still weak from what happened."

"Maybe he just wandered off somewhere…" Chazz suggested, swallowing hard and inching away from the panicking teen, "There's no need to get so upset."

Taking a few deep breaths to calm himself, Jesse nodded. "You're right. He's probably fine…But…what should we do?"  
"Keep looking for Alexis," Chazz replied without missing a beat, "It's what Jaden would have wanted."

His words sent chills up and down Jesse's spine. _What Jaden __**would have**__ wanted._ If that didn't describe the urgency of the situation, then he didn't know what did. It was almost as if Chazz were talking about the deceased! And that was Jesse's biggest fear: to lose Jaden. Even so, he would do what Chazz had said. It _was _what Jaden wanted. He did not want them to worry about him. So Jesse would try his best.

He began to turn away, only taking a few steps before stopping. Had that been…? He listened intently. There was a small tapping on the wall. Or perhaps it was the door? He turned slowly back towards the nearest door, and pressed his ear to it. Indeed, there was a feeble scratching from within. Frowning, he put his hand to the doorknob, hesitating momentarily before taking a deep breath and flinging it open.

A blur of red and brown fell out to the floor. A sharp gasp came from between Jesse's parted lips at this sudden movement. The next thing he knew, he was staring down into chocolate eyes, which blinked in oblivious confusion. Relief washed over the transfer student as he knelt by Jaden.

"What happened?" He asked, holding out his hand to help the Slifer up.

"Oh, um," Jaden laughed a little, letting Jesse pull him to his feet, "I found Alexis but before I could call to you guys, the door shut on me…and it was locked. I didn't want to risk Viper hearing me yelling for you, so I just hoped I'd find a way out. I was trying to pick the lock and--"

"Jaden," Jesse said, cutting him off, putting a finger to his lips.

"Yes?" Jaden blinked.

"Don't you ever do that again…please…You almost gave me a heart attack." Jesse looked so pitiful when he said this. The thought of losing Jaden gave him such unspeakable pain.

"Oh, sorry," Jaden looked sheepishly down at his shoes, "I didn't mean to upset you. But, come on…We have to get Alexis out of there, Ok?"

Nodding, Jesse followed him, though he did stop to beckon to Chazz, who came trotting over quickly. They slipped into the darkened room, which was only illuminated by the computer monitors and the large tank in the middle of the room. Sure enough, Alexis was there, strapped to the wall. It didn't appear as though anything had been done to her at first glance; however, the closer they drew, the more apparent it was that she had put up a fight and had been injured. Her duel disk lay on the ground at her feet, her cards scattered about, obviously defeated. She seemed to have escaped at some point, judging by the scratch marks in the wall from the bioband and the way it was bent, along with the metal strap around her wrist, which was marked with streaks of crimson. At the moment, she was hanging limply by her wrists, pale and lifeless. An expression of pain was twisting her mouth sharply down, her brows furrowed deeply.

Jaden started to advance forward, only to be pushed back by Chazz. The black-clad Slifer took a few steps towards the blonde, slowly, shakily. He grabbed a nearby bucket and put it upside down, to use as a stepladder. Then, he pressed the button, releasing her from her bonds. She started to fall, but he caught her and lifted her. Jesse and Jaden looked on, their expressions becoming worried.

"Where's Viper?" Jaden asked, glancing uneasily around.

Jesse put a hand on his shoulder, his eyes scanning the darkness as well. "I don't know…But this isn't good…"

Chazz shook his head, though he refused to say anything. Although he tried to retain a neutral front, it was obvious that he was quite worried about the girl in his arms. This concerned Jesse and Jaden all the more.

"Is she…Ok?" Jaden asked quietly, his eyes softening in worry.

"I…don't know…" Chazz replied, holding her fragile body closer, his arms shaking a bit, "I don't…think so…"

"Well, then, let's just get out of here and take her to the infirmary," Jesse headed for the door. He stopped as he was passing by Jaden. "Jay, what's that?"

"Huh?" Jaden looked around in confusion, his eyes finally settling on the object that Jesse was pointing to.

Reaching out tentatively, Jesse touched wire that had attached itself to Jaden's neck. The brunet flinched a little as Jesse ripped it from his neck. He slapped his hand over his neck at the sudden removal, then brought it down to find a bit of blood on it. He was relieved to find that it was just a small smear of it. Even so, it still bothered him.

"I wonder what that was," Jesse muttered, looking down at the wire in his hand suspiciously. He wiped the blood off the end and put it in his pocket, just in case Ms. Fountaine could tell them what it was.

Jaden wiped the blood from his neck again. "Ouch…" He winced a little, "I'm not sure how that got there...but I think it might have been when I came in…"

"What do you mean?" Jesse's gaze flickered in Jaden's direction, his sea green eyes dulled over with the turmoil that took place in his mind.

"I thought I felt something sharp stab my neck earlier," Jaden told him, "But I didn't know what it was at the time. I just don't know where it came from."

"Maybe Viper's still in here." The two boys turned to Chazz, surprised that he'd spoken. The ebony-haired teen shrugged, then continued, "What if this was a trap?"

Cringing, Jesse grabbed Jaden's wrist and started to drag him towards the door. "Well, if that's the case, then let's get out of here before any more damage is caused. If Viper is here, then he's not in this room. And we need to get Alexis medical attention anyway, so we don't have any time to waste on him. We have our priorities."

"But he'll just do it again unless we do something now!" Jaden protested, trying to tear away from Jesse's iron grip.

"Jaden, not today," Jesse told him, "Please. Alexis needs us right now. You aren't completely well either. Do it for Alexis. If you wait to regain all your strength, then it's better for all of us. Now, come on."

Grumbling, Jaden reluctantly followed Jesse out the door, with Chazz trailing behind them. They walked down the hall as quietly as they'd come, taking care to keep close to the walls in case they needed to duck into a room suddenly. They were most uneasy; however, it amounted to nothing, for they managed to make it out into the early dawn safely. Confused, they continued their trek through the woods and back towards the main building of Duel Academy, but at a rather hurried pace. It had all seemed too easy, which puzzled them greatly. Something wasn't right…

When Jesse glanced back over at Jaden, he noticed that the brunet seemed somewhat unstable on his feet. Concerned, he tightened his grip around Jaden's hand. "Just a little bit longer," He encouraged Jaden, trying to sound soothing.

Jaden grinned weakly. "Ok…" He held Jesse's hand tightly to calm the shaking; however, it was still obvious. Although he didn't want to worry Jesse, he really didn't feel that good. "Jess, I'm really tired…"

"I know," Jesse replied, swallowing hard and forcing a smile, "You're going to be Ok. You're going to make it." Part of the reason he was saying these things aloud was to reassure himself. "You shouldn't have pushed yourself so hard, though."

Nodding feebly, Jaden tripped a little over his feet before regaining his balance. "Ugh…I just want to lie down and go to sleep. I've been up practically all night. I'm so…tired…I just want to drop and die."

Even though Jesse knew that Jaden was exaggerating, it still bothered him. "Please don't talk like that."

"I'm not serious," Jaden groaned, "I just _feel_ like I could drop and die. When we get back, I think I just might go on to the infirmary and crawl into the nice, comfy bed and sleep all day. I don't want to go to class anyway."

"Even if you tried to go to class," Jesse told him, "I wouldn't let you. You've been through a lot, and we have Alexis now, so there's no need for you to be running around. I can tell just by looking at you that you're about to have a relapse! Please take better care of yourself."

Jaden swallowed rather hard. His throat was getting dry from thirst, his body weak from dehydration. Perhaps it had not been such a good idea to go running like that after having come to such a close call. "Well, I should be fine after I get something to drink and after I rest a little," He told Jesse, "I just need some sleep…"

Jesse nodded, though he wasn't so sure. His eyes were glued to the mark on the back of Jaden's neck, barely visible due to his shaggy hair and his high jacket collar. Although he tried to tell himself it was harmless, he couldn't be convinced. After all, what Viper had done to Jaden before really made him question whether or not Alexis' kidnapping was a similar trick. Already, the brunet seemed to be showing signs of weakness. It could have something to do with it. Shaking his head, he told himself that he was just being paranoid. Still, it would be a good idea to have Ms. Fountaine look over the wire as well. He sure hoped that it wasn't harmful. He hoped that he'd pulled all the wire off, and that there was nothing more beneath the surface.

Feeling Jesse's eyes on him, Jaden glanced up to meet his gaze, his own eyes half-lidded and drowsy. He smiled softly at Jesse, causing him to smile back. He couldn't help but reach out to ruffle the brunet's hair affectionately. Jaden was just irresistible at times. He felt an extra tug at his heart seeing Jaden looking so weak. It made him want to pick the boy up and carry him. Of course, he knew if he did this, Jaden would vehemently protest. Besides, the Slifer seemed as though he could walk at least.

The rest of the walk went quickly. They were relieved to make it back to the infirmary in one piece. Jaden kicked his shoes off and collapsed to the bed he'd previously been occupying. He lay on his stomach and buried his face in the pillow, groaning softly. Looking up from her paperwork, Ms. Fountaine sighed in relief when she saw the group had arrived back safely with Alexis. However, once she looked at Alexis hanging limply from Chazz's arms, she jumped up and rushed to work on her. As she was checking her over, Jesse remembered the wire. He waited for Ms. Fountaine to finish looking over Alexis, though. In the meantime, he drew a glass of water for Jaden and set it on the nearby nightstand, then sat in a chair and sighed heavily.

"You doin' all right, Jay?" He asked worriedly, "You've been awful quiet."

"I'm tired," Jaden mumbled, his voice muffled by the pillow.

"I got you some water. You did say you were thirsty," Jesse told him, picking up the glass and holding it out to him.

Half-shut chocolate eyes slid in the glass's direction somewhat reluctantly. Slowly, he reached out for it, then took a small sip. "Thanks," He murmured, handing the glass back to Jesse. His eyes shut again.

Jesse felt another tug at his heart as he watched Jaden re-bury his face in the snowy white pillow. He could not help but reach out and hug the brunet. Jaden groaned and tried to push him away, but Jesse wasn't ready to let go just yet. Of course, Jaden had been through a lot and deserved his personal space, but Jesse had been worried sick about him! At that point, all he wanted to do was crawl in bed with him and hold him, though it was obvious that Jaden didn't want it.

As Jesse rubbed Jaden's back slowly, he managed a peek at the same wound on the back of his neck. He still wasn't entirely sure how the wire had gotten there. He figured Viper had some way of attaching it without Jaden being aware of his presence. But would he really leave after that? Glancing back down at Jaden, he noticed that the Slifer was all but asleep. He most certainly wouldn't be able to answer any questions at this point.

Around that time, Ms. Fountaine finished looking over Alexis and put her to bed. Turning around, she sighed heavily and looked at Jesse and Jaden, shaking her head. She walked over to them and gently pushed Jesse away from Jaden, so she could look him over again as well. It wasn't long before she found the spot on his neck.

"What's this?" She asked, frowning as she pointed to it.

In response, Jesse pulled the wire from his pocket and held it out. "I'm not really sure what happened," He admitted sheepishly, "but someone--or something--attached this to Jaden's neck. I probably shouldn't have yanked it off like that, but…I did…"

Taking the wire, Ms. Fountaine's frown deepened, and she studied it carefully. "Well, I can't quite tell what this is just by looking at it…I'll get someone from the Duel Technology department to look it over for me…"

Her gaze dropped back to Jaden's neck. Carefully, she pulled his collar down and inspected the wound. Muttering a little under her breath, she rose and washed her hands thoroughly before putting a pair of gloves on and pulling a few objects out of a drawer. Jesse watched nervously as she sat down on the edge of the bed and ran a finger over the wound. Then, she took out a pair of tweezers and delicately reached in the wound.

"This is going to hurt," She warned Jaden.

"Oh, boy," Jaden sucked a quick breath of air through his teeth, gripping the sheets and squeezing his eyes shut.

Jesse cringed as Ms. Fountaine gave a sharp, skilled pull and retrieved the stubborn object that was imbedded under the skin. Frowning, she took it from the tweezers and inspected it as Jaden writhed a little on the mattress. Without another word, she disinfected the wound and placed a large patch packed with gauze over it. Then, she cleaned the foreign object up before placing it on a paper towel next to the wire.

"I'm going to go fetch the Technology teacher," Ms. Fountaine told them, pulling her gloves off and washing her hands again, "You guys stay here and don't cause any trouble, Ok? I'm locking this door for the time being. Don't you dare leave this room." To emphasize her point, she held a finger up at them, frowning at them though there was the hint of a smile on her lips. Having said this, she stepped out and closed the door quietly behind her.

Jaden looked up at Jesse with a rather pitiful gaze. It melted the transfer student's heart to see that woeful expression. Unable to help himself, he captured Jaden in a snug embrace, crushing him against his chest and burying his nose in Jaden's soft brown hair. "You sure you're all right?"

"Ugh," Jaden groaned and answered sarcastically, "Sure, I feel great."

Jesse grinned sympathetically at the brunet in his arms. "I'm sorry, Jay, I really am. If there was anything I could do…"

"Letting me sleep would be a place to start," Jaden told him, yawning widely, "You could probably use the sleep too."

"I know I should but…I need to keep an eye on you. Just in case you want something." Jesse insisted, his brow creasing in worry again.

Jaden waved it off. "Don't worry, Jess. How can you help me if you're sleep deprived? Here…" He lifted the covers, "Keep me warm. I'm freezing."

"Are you sure?" Jesse asked uncertainly, "I mean, Ms. Fountaine might not like that…"

Shrugging, Jaden replied simply, "Well, she can just tell us to cut it out then. It's no big deal. Come on."

After a moment's hesitation, Jesse finally caved in. He pulled his boots off and threw them in the corner with Jaden's shoes. Then, he crawled in next to Jaden, curling up close against the brunet. Yawning, Jaden scooched closer to him and put an arm over the other boy's side. His eyes drooped shut as he started to fall asleep. Jesse smiled a little at this, unable to help but think that Jaden looked adorable. He would've kissed him briefly, but Chazz was in the room and Ms. Fountaine could have come back at any moment. Instead, he let his own eyelids flutter shut, and let himself start to drift off as well. He was quite comfortable next to Jaden, sharing his body heat. Hopefully, the ordeal was over by then and they could relax a little.

He must have fallen asleep at some point because when he awoke, the sun's rays were no longer spilling in through the blinds, for it was noon. Blinking a little, he noticed the murmur of voices from the corner of the room, one of which he recognized as Ms. Fountaine's. The other belonged to a man. Feeling too tired to care, he let his eyes close again, snuggling closer to Jaden. The brunet stirred a little, tightening his grip around Jesse and sighing. Perhaps they would have both fallen back into a deep sleep had Ms. Fountaine not given them both a hard shake.

Jesse opened his eyes lazily to look up at her. She pointed in the opposite direction, signaling him to get out of bed. Reluctantly, he did as she wanted, and seated himself on the chair next to the bed, his eyes half-shut. Jaden groaned at the sudden loss of heat. He tried to pull the blankets closer around himself, but Ms. Fountaine wouldn't let him. Instead, she gently pushed him to a sitting position and peeled the bandage back to reveal the wound. Jesse watched with a sleepy gaze as a tall, stout man with dark hair and glasses stepped over to the bed and peered over Ms. Fountaine's shoulder to inspect the wound. They exchanged a glance after a moment.

"Well," The man said, stepping back and looking thoughtful, "from what you've told me, I can only assume that this was a chip embedded in his skin that would drain his energy…The circuitry is set so that it would've taken more, had the wire not been torn off like that. That was probably the only thing that saved his life…"

Jesse looked alarmed. He reached out and put his arms around Jaden protectively. "Are you telling me that someone's out to kill Jay?!" He cried, his emerald eyes wide in horror.

The two teachers turned their attention to Jesse. "Well," Ms. Fountaine sighed, "We're not really sure what's going on. All we know is that this chip has the same basic configuration as the bioband. And recently we've noticed that there have been too many fainting incidents with those things than can be coincidental, so we started investigating. Not to mention that after hearing your story, we have reason to believe that these biobands have been draining energy. Of course, this little chip only backs up that theory…especially since you experienced sudden fatigue and weakness when you'd been feeling better. It's not just a relapse. It was triggered by this."

Holding Jaden closer, Jesse nodded weakly, feeling his mouth going dry. He could not believe that anyone would want to be that cruel, not even Viper. Why would he want to kill Jaden for his energy? Couldn't he use a little of everyone's? Or was there something special about Jaden that he didn't know about? He looked down at the boy in his arms, beginning to worry that they had gotten themselves in over their heads. Already, Alexis and Jaden were hurt, and badly at that. Well, it was not going to happen again if he could help it. Instead of stepping back, they would fight if they had to. They would confront the problem and solve it. That was just what they did. In the meantime, Jaden's and Alexis' recoveries were the primary goal. They would have to figure out what to do about Viper later.

After the other teacher had left to study the wire and the chip in greater detail, Ms. Fountaine gave Jaden some medicine and told him to go back to sleep. Yawning, Jaden eagerly complied. He lay back down, his eyes half shut. Jesse leaned back in his seat and watched the brunet shiver a bit. Sighing, he rose and fetched him another blanket, which Jaden was grateful for.

"Thanks," He murmured, pulling it closer to his chin and grinning sleepily, "but it won't be enough."

Jesse tilted his head a little to one side, looking curiously down at the Slifer. "Why not?"

In response, Jaden held out his hand as though offering something. "I want you to sleep with me," He whined, his expression hopeful.

"Um…" Jesse laughed nervously and glanced over at Ms. Fountaine, who didn't look too happy with this situation. She mouthed the word 'no.' "I can't…"

Jaden turned his gaze towards Ms. Fountaine and looked pleadingly at her. "Aw, come on…Please? He won't be any trouble, I promise!"

"No," Ms. Fountaine said firmly, "I don't allow students to sleep together, whether they're contagious or not. And I most certainly don't want couples to be sleeping together. Even if you're both male, it's still against campus rules for me to let you do that here."

Looking dismayed, Jaden rolled over with his back to her, willing to give it up for the time being. But he did not plan on giving up permanently. That was just not his way. And Jesse knew he'd try again later.

Soon enough, Ms. Fountaine sent Jesse to pick up their textbooks and homework. He wasn't thrilled about leaving Jaden's side even for a second, but he did as he was told. Chazz simply refused to leave Alexis' side, and for good reason too. She was even worse off than Jaden was at this point. Jesse felt sorry for her, knowing that she'd been bait for Jaden. He knew that Jaden probably felt worse than he did about it. And he'd probably blame himself, too.

When he came back, he found that Ms. Fountaine was gone. He had to admit, he was relieved. Setting the load of heavy textbooks and papers down, he sat on the edge of Jaden's bed and swung his legs up, so he was sitting with his back against the headboard. Hopefully, this wouldn't get him in as much trouble as sleeping next to Jaden would. The room was quiet since everyone but Jesse was asleep. He felt somewhat lonely. It was good that Jaden was getting rest but he really wanted to talk to him all the same. Almost as if on cue, the brunet's eyelids fluttered a little, and he stared up at Jesse with a hazy chocolate gaze.

"Jess?" He yawned and stretched a bit, then lay on his back, staring up at the other boy.

"What is it?" Jesse asked.

"I…I…" He paused, his eyelids drooping again.

"Jay?" Jesse grew concerned. He leaned over the Slifer. "Jaden? You all right?"

"I…"

"Jaden?!" Panic rose in his throat. He started to leap up to get Ms. Fountaine.

"I'M SO BORED!!" Jaden shouted all of the sudden, giving Jesse quite a start. He fell off the bed.

"Wh-what?" Jesse peered over the edge of the bed, his sea green eyes wide as saucers, "You're _bored_?! You scared me for that?!"

"Sorry," He grinned sheepishly, "I just can't stand it, you know?"

"Slacker," Chazz hissed suddenly from the other side of the room, glaring daggers at the other boy, "You woke me up! Be more quiet, PLEASE." Groaning, he laid his head back down on his arms.

"Sorry," Jaden apologized again. Then, propping himself up with the pillows: "Jess? I'm really bored…Please entertain me."

"How am I supposed to do that?" He asked, holding his hands out helplessly.

"I don't know…Just fix it." He pouted a little, "I want to duel!"

Jesse shook his head. "Oh, no. Not until you recover. That might put too much stress on you! Don't do that…"

"Aw, come on!" Jaden pleaded.

Shaking his head, Jesse grinned weakly. "Sorry, Jay. I can't risk having you getting worse. I'm sure there's something else we can do." He reached down and picked up a textbook and waved it teasingly in Jaden's face. "Like homework."

Jaden stared at the book, then shook his head wildly. "You're as bad as my parents! Come on, I'm sure you can do better than that…"

Jesse smiled wider. "Well, I guess I could." He climbed back up on the bed and sat down next to Jaden, poking him on the nose. "And what do you want to do?"

"Hmm…" Jaden placed a finger on his chin as he thought, "I would like something to eat." He gave Jesse puppy-dog eyes. "Can you go get me some food please?"

Jesse sighed heavily. "I don't know if I'm allowed to leave…"

"Aw, come on!" Jaden pleaded, "It'll only be for a few minutes…Ms. Fountaine doesn't have to know! And if you don't want to go, then I'll do it."

Jesse shook his head, frowning. "Oh, no, you don't. You're not going anywhere. Not after that." Sighing heavily, he thought for a moment, then relented. "Ok, Ok. It doesn't look like Ms. Fountaine's going to be coming back anytime soon, so I'll go get you something to eat."

"Thanks!" Jaden leaned over and gave him a sloppy kiss on the cheek. He laughed when Jesse's face turned red. "You know what I want, right?"

He nodded, his face still burning, then got up and walked out quickly, trying to ignore Jaden's laughter. The brunet was obviously proud of what he'd done. Feeling disgusted with himself for reacting so strongly to just a small kiss, Jesse hurried down the hall, taking care not to get caught. It didn't matter if he did, he supposed. After all, as long as he acted natural or like he was supposed to be there, then no one would bother him. He just hoped he'd get back before Ms. Fountaine did.

He snuck into the kitchen, where he managed to snatch a bowl of noodles and a bowl of rice for the Slifer. He looked around some more, trying to see if there was any fried shrimp. It took him a minute, but he found it, and made off with that as well. If they hadn't have missed lunch, then he would've felt bad for taking the food, but Jaden needed it. While he was at it, he retrieved some extra food for Chazz and himself. Alexis had yet to wake up, so he'd wait until she did to go get her something. Having found all that he was going to take, he slipped back out the door, carefully balancing the bowls on a tray. It wasn't easy to walk at a quick pace down the hall like that, but he had no other choice. He really didn't want to get caught at that point and be questioned.

Much to his relief, he made it back to the infirmary without being caught. He was all the more relieved to see that Ms. Fountaine was still out. He could only hope that she hadn't come back while he'd been gone. However, Jaden didn't seem concerned, so he supposed it was all right. The brunet watched him with eager eyes as he brought the tray over. His chocolate eyes lit up when he saw the fried shrimp.

"Sweet!" He exclaimed, "Thanks, Jess!"

"No problem," Jesse set the tray down on Jaden's bed, then took several of the bowls off the tray and set them on the nightstand beside Jaden's bed and beside Alexis' bed. "I got some food for you, too, Chazz."

Chazz glanced up, frowning. He mumbled a small word of gratitude before taking the bowl, reluctantly releasing Alexis' hand. "I'm not all that hungry but I guess I'd better eat…"

Seating himself comfortably back beside Jaden, Jesse picked up his own bowl and began to eat slowly. He watched in fascination as Jaden slurped the noodles up, quickly shoveling more and more into his mouth. Shaking his head, he warned, "You'd better be careful, unless you want to choke."

Jaden grinned cheekily. "That's not going to happen," He assured the transfer student as he lifted the bowl to his lips to drink the soup, "Stop worrying."

"Stop talking with your mouth full!" Chazz reprimanded, rolling his eyes, "It's disgusting."

"I don't mind it," Jesse admitted, "It's kind of funny, actually. But maybe you shouldn't for Chazz's sake."

"Sorry," Jaden mumbled around the pieces of fried shrimp in his mouth, "I'll be more careful."

"You're doing it AGAIN," Chazz groaned, "Oh, you know what? Just forget it…" He turned back towards Alexis, deciding to ignore the Slifer for the time being.

Shaking his head, Jesse chuckled a little as Jaden finished off the last bit of his food and looked up eagerly for more. He cocked his head a little to one side and regarded Jesse with a hopeful gaze. Jesse lifted some noodles out of his bowl and held his chopsticks out to Jaden, who gladly took the food, slurping it down in seconds before looking at Jesse with puppy-dog eyes, wanting more.

Laughing, Jesse told him, "You're like a vacuum cleaner!" Nevertheless, he held out a few more noodles, which Jaden devoured in no time.

Chazz glanced over at them, and wrinkled his nose in disdain. "I don't see how you can stand to eat after each other."

"It's not that bad," Jesse said, shrugging as he held out yet another serving of noodles, dangling it teasingly in front of Jaden's nose.

Looking cross-eyed at the noodles as his mouth watered, Jaden added, "It's no worse than French kissing."

"Spare me," Chazz grumbled, turning his back on them, "If you're going to start that, then I don't want to see it."

Ignoring Chazz's comment, Jaden took the food and swallowed it whole, invoking a laugh from Jesse. He leaned over and kissed Jaden on the nose briefly, hardly giving the action a second thought. "I love the way you act over food…"

"Huh?" Jaden looked confused, "What's so great about it?"

"It's just funny," Jesse insisted, poking him in the side, "It's--I can't believe I'm saying this--kind of cute."

Jaden frowned. "Hey! I'm not cute!"

"Yes, you are!" Jesse insisted.

"Oh, yeah, it's simply _adorable_ how you chew with your mouth open," Chazz snorted, every word dripping with sarcasm.

Jesse shot him a look. "Oh, come on. You're the one who wipes spills off the table with your sleeves! You have no place to be talking about manners." Raising an eyebrow, he smirked a little, knowing he'd cornered the other boy.

"Hmph," Chazz refused to look their way any longer.

Jesse finished his food--with Jaden's help--after a few more minutes. Then, because he and Jaden were bored, they sat on the bed and impersonated their teachers. It annoyed Chazz greatly, though he couldn't help but snicker every then and again. It wasn't as though Jesse or Jaden hated their teachers, per se; they more or less enjoyed mocking them when they had a particularly strange habit or idiosyncrasy. They soon grew bored of this game and tried to find other ways of amusing themselves. Nothing really worked until Jaden found a pen.

"Jesse, lift your sleeve. I have an idea."

Although he was somewhat uncertain, Jesse only did as he was asked. Jaden began to draw on his arm with the pen, though what he was drawing could not be discerned. "Um, what are you doing?"

Jaden looked up seriously, shaking his hair from his eyes. He could only appear mock-serious for so long, though, before his face broke out in a large smile. "I'm giving you a tattoo."

"Of what?" Jesse asked, although he wasn't sure he wanted to know.

"Of the Crystal Beasts, of course," Jaden replied, leaning over his work.

Groaning slightly, Jesse tried to suppress the grin coming to his face. He peered down, only to be shooed away by Jaden, who said that 'it wasn't ready yet.' Jesse wasn't too sure he wanted Jaden drawing all over him, but he supposed it'd be all right. He had to admit, he was a little anxious about what sorts of things Jaden was drawing. It wasn't too long, though, before his 'masterpiece' was complete and Jesse could finally look at the drawings.

"Um, Jay…What's that?" He stared down at the scribbles on his arm.

"That's Ruby!" Jaden replied cheerily, pointing at what looked to be an overweight goblin with four horns, "Can't you tell?" He watched Jesse intently, looking expectant.

"Uhhh…" Jesse squinted, though he still couldn't see how that doodle could possibly be Ruby. "Sure…?"

"Guess which one that is!" Jaden pointed to a scribble that looked like a lumpy potato with three eyes and handles protruding from it.

"Umm…" Jesse bit his lip, staring down at the mess on his arm. Finally, he said weakly, "I have no idea…I give up. What is it?"

"It's Amber Mammoth…" Jaden told him, looking puzzled and scratching his head, "Isn't it obvious?"  
"I guess so…" Jesse quickly pulled his sleeve down, before Jaden could make anymore of a mess, "My turn."

Jaden held out his arm obediently as Jesse took the pen from him, then rolled his sleeve up. He turned his head so the surprise wouldn't be spoiled as Jesse wrote furiously on the Slifer's arm, snickering as he did so. It wouldn't hurt to get Jaden back a little, would it? Not like it was anything too out there. He was just having his fun. He drew a few quick doodles then leaned back with a satisfied smile to admire his work, which was far from gallery quality. At least it was better than what Jaden had attempted to draw.

"You can look now," He told Jaden, his smirk growing wider.

The brunet glanced down at his arm, his jaw dropping. "What the…'Property of Jesse Andersen?'" His eyes moved down to the various doodles of the Elemental Heroes, Neo-Spacians, and food on his arms, along with the proclamations of 'you're mine' and 'JA + JY.' In addition, there were a few of their inside jokes written out. "You're so weird…"

Jesse laughed as Jaden swatted at him, pretending to be annoyed. "Oh, come on, I'm just messing around with you!"

"That's so dorky and girlish," Jaden complained, pointing to their initials, "You made it that way on purpose didn't you?" His face burned. "Jesse, you're such an idiot!"

Jesse only laughed at him and slung an arm over his shoulders. "Aw, come on…You know you love me."

Pulling his sleeve down, Jaden laughed as well. "Well, I can't help but like you even if you can be stupid sometimes."

"Look who's talking," Jesse teased, holding Jaden closer.

In response, Jaden stuck his tongue out at Jesse, though his eyes were dancing in amusement. The teal-haired duelist grinned widely as he grabbed it between a finger and a thumb, invoking a protest from Jaden. The brunet tackled him around the waist and shoved him down to the bed, surprisingly strong for his condition. Jesse struggled beneath his weight as Jaden twisted his arm behind his back and straddled him, pinning him down on his stomach, though it wasn't painful. With his free hand, Jaden began to tickle him and poke him, until Jesse was laughing so hard he couldn't breathe. He thrashed and wiggled, trying to get Jaden to fall off of him. But it was all to no avail. The Slifer had a tight hold on him and refused to budge.

"Ah! Jaden, stop!" He begged, tears streaming down his face as Jaden tickled him all the more, "You're…killing me! I…can't…breathe…"

"No!" Jaden laughed, tugging at Jesse's arm and pressing him down closer to the mattress, "Maybe I will if you grovel."

"Ok, Ok!" Jesse gasped, kicking, "Please stop, Jay, Please!! I…beg you! I beg you!!"

"No way! This is too much fun!" Jaden yelled, growing excited.

"PLEASE!!" Jesse implored, his voice growing hoarse from all the laughing, "I can't…take it!!"

Jaden opened his mouth to tease Jesse again, only to be interrupted by Ms. Fountaine clearing her throat. He stopped tickling Jesse and looked up, grinning sheepishly, his face burning. "Hi, Ms. Fountaine…"

She crossed her arms and sighed. "Oh, Jaden…Let him go." Looking weary, she collapsed to her chair.

Slowly, Jaden climbed off of Jesse. The boy lay there for a moment, panting and exhausted. Feeling a little sorry for him, Jaden leaned down and hugged him tightly, then lay next to him and held him close, burying his face in Jesse's shoulder.

"Sorry, Jess. I guess I got a little carried away…"

"It's…Ok…" Jesse panted, letting his eyes droop shut as he tried to catch his breath, "It was…kinda…fun…"

They lay on their stomachs for a moment in silence. Jaden kept his arm slung over Jesse's back, holding him tightly against his side, his cheek against the pillow and his nose buried in the other boy's shoulder. Jesse wrapped an arm around Jaden after a moment, and pressed him close as well, turning his head so he could look Jaden in the eyes. Smirking slightly, his dark eyes dancing, Jaden leaned over quickly and captured Jesse's lips in a clumsy kiss. Jesse returned the pressure, ignoring the look that Ms. Fountaine sent them in warning.

"Jesse?"

"Yeah, Jaden?"

"I love you," The brunet poked the other boy on the nose playfully.

A wide grin spread across Jesse's face. "I love you too, Jay."

"Boys…" Ms. Fountaine's tone was low and reprimanding. She stood and started to cross the room.

They kissed again briefly before Ms. Fountaine grabbed Jesse's shoulder and jerked him out of the bed, threatening to send him to the Chancellor's office. Giving a cheeky grin, his emerald eyes full of mischief, he tore away from her grasp and ran for the door. He waved to Jaden, ignoring Ms. Fountaine's scolding as he started to close the door.

"I'll catch you later, Jay! If I don't get in too much trouble that is!" He said cheerfully.

"Ok, bye!" Jaden called, "Don't worry! The Chancellor's a nice guy! I'm sure he'll understand if you tell him we were just fooling around."

Jesse nodded and shut the door, as Ms. Fountaine began to scold Jaden. It didn't matter if he was in trouble or not. He figured he could get out of it. After all, Jaden always broke the rules and they were just fine. Even if he did get in trouble, it probably wouldn't be that badly. He was just relieved that Jaden was all right. As he entered the Chancellor's office, he chuckled to himself as he figured that he and the Chancellor would probably have a good laugh over it. After all, the Chancellor wasn't a strict sort of guy. He seemed pretty laid back. Why else would Jaden have escaped expulsion so many times? They were good kids for the most part. For once, he wasn't worried about something. Perhaps he could overcome that little problem of his if he hung around Jaden long enough. The brunet was known to work miracles, even on himself. However, he wasn't able to solve every problem, as Jesse was about to learn. There were some things that could not be solved.

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**A/N: DX Looking back over that, I'm really not too happy that it sounded so choppy. Then again, when I proof-read, my eyes tend to hang on every word. Let me know if it flowed smoothly enough because I really feel as though it didn't. I think it has to do with my writing style…because it's so formal and choppy. I dunno…But I enjoyed writing it, even if it did kind of change from one extreme to the other (that being serious to light-hearted.) Sorryz guys but as you can probably tell, this story is more for fun and on a different level than my other fics. ;; Oh, and it won't be as closely matched with canon as my other stories will…though I will make sure to give long explanations. I'm not totally throwing canon away. That would be kinda weird. O.o**


	6. Chapter 6

**A/N: Wow, I'm getting a lot of hits on this. X.x I don't know why…haha. I hope that I don't disappoint you guys. I'm a little bit worried that it'll suck…But I'm doing my best to make it interesting. :D And don't worry, it is rated M for more than just blood (and possibly gore) and death later on…I'll get to it. :P But...um, sorry if this chapter jumps a bit. -.- It's a weak transition, I know, but I'm going back to something I hinted at in the first chapter…and I wanted to do it dammit! D8 And I know it's a bit of a tease but it's to show character/relationship development and all that good shizz. :P**

**Disclaimer: I do not own GX.**

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Chapter 6:

Jesse lay still in the cramped, darkened Slifer dorm room, his arm over his eyes. He was half-asleep already, so he hardly noticed the practically dead weight lying close beside him. It wasn't that he did not want to sleep. He did very much so. He had just had some trouble thanks to all that was on his mind. He had thought that coming over to Jaden's dorm room and sleeping with him might settle his troubled mind but it was proving to be more difficult than he had imagined. Things had been so hectic for the past week and a half, and even though they were finally getting a lull, it was still hard for him to shift back to a relaxed mindset.

Too bad that things weren't entirely back to normal. Much to everyone's concern, Alexis had yet to awaken from her coma. And Ms. Fountaine was beginning to express the possibility that she might have to be taken to a hospital on mainland. Yet, they would wait. Hope was still strong for her since she hadn't gotten any worse. Still, it worried everyone greatly. And Chazz hardly refused to leave her side. All the same, life had gone on relatively as it had before, with no trace of trouble in the form of Viper. They had no idea where he had gotten to…

Stirring a little, Jesse sighed and started to roll over. He hardly noticed the warm weight pressing up against his back. He started to fall asleep, until a pair of arms squeezed him tightly, almost choking the life out of him.

"Jesse," the voice in his ear was a muffled groan.

He jumped a little, having lost any chance he might have had of falling asleep. Sighing heavily, he tried to close his eyes and rest again, only to feel a hand on his chest. Annoyed, he pushed it away. He was so tired. All he wanted was some sleep. Was that too much to ask? Apparently it was. Much to his dismay, he felt Jaden sling a leg over his hip, so that he was somewhat straddling him. Groaning inwardly, he tried to push it away, all to no avail. The brunet clung fast to him, and continued to snore on like nothing had happened. Well, it was not entirely unpleasant, he decided. Even if he was being crushed. He could get used to it.

He tried to go to sleep, but found it too difficult with Jaden so close to him. Despite himself, he felt his heart rate quicken. It dawned on him that he was, indeed, in bed with the person he loved more than anything else in the world. And that same person was pressed up against him closely, almost even intimately. He reminded himself that Jaden was asleep and that their roommates were asleep above them. Still, it did not deter the various detached thoughts that went flying through his head. Honestly, he had to be more careful about controlling his thoughts. It was so difficult to do, though, when he loved Jaden so much.

Lately, he had been having trouble with those sorts of feelings. Before the whole incident with Viper he had noticed it, and felt bad about it. But that did not stop his thoughts. In fact, trying to forget them only made it worse. At least he did not think about it constantly. It was more or less an occasional thing that was spurred about by such contact like he was receiving at the moment…He had been struggling with it for weeks. Thankfully the Viper incident had distracted him from it. But it had been rudely awakened by what was going on at the moment. He groaned inwardly and silently thanked Jaden, sarcastically of course, for reminding him of those urges.

Once again he attempted to brush Jaden off of him. No such luck. The brunet not only clung tighter, but also rolled a bit on top of him as well, so that he was mostly on top of Jesse's side. Jesse groaned softly as he was smashed into the mattress. He didn't know why Jaden was so persistent. Perhaps it had to do with whatever he was dreaming? Perhaps he was having that silly dream about the giant fried shrimp again…As long as he did not start slobbering on Jesse's face again, then he supposed it would be all right. Though he did wish that he could shift to a more comfortable position.

Jaden clung to Jesse with all four limbs, his head dropping onto the other's neck. A little snore escaped his mouth, then there was silence. Jesse sighed heavily and wiggled a bit, trying to shift Jaden off of him. Or as least roll over to his back. Jaden's weight was pinning him down, however. He could not move very much. Squirming all the more as Jaden hindered his ability to breathe, Jesse tried to find a way to make it more comfortable. In the process, his hip brushed up against Jaden. A small little moan escaped Jaden's mouth, just barely audible. Jesse's entire face turned red as he felt something poking through Jaden's sweatpants against his hip. He lay very still.

_Why at a time like this…?_

Trying to calm his quickened breathing, he attempted to tell himself to go to sleep. It was difficult, though, to ignore the discomfort and to ignore the heavy weight on top of him. Not to mention he was slowly suffering asphyxiation, which he told himself could be the cause of the lightheadedness that was beginning to cloud his mind. He really wished that they could go back to the days of being innocent. Or, at least, for him. To his knowledge, Jaden did not think of those sorts of things, neither did he want them. Yet, maybe he was aware of it, judging from the way he was so turned on at the moment. Perhaps he was not as clueless as everyone deemed him to be. He just chose not to acknowledge it because he was not interested. Though, he could not very well control his dreams…if that was the sort of dream he was having. Did that mean that he thought about it subconsciously? Jesse mentally kicked himself for even _considering_ such a thing.

Perhaps he should give some serious thought to waking Jaden up. Especially since the other boy's knee was shifting over his…

Quickly, he shoved Jaden off of himself and back down to the mattress. It was done so forcefully that the bed creaked loudly, and Jaden woke up. He opened his mouth but before he could say anything, Jesse had leapt out of bed and hurried out the door. There was _no_ way that he was going to let _that_ get the better of him. What had he been _thinking_?! He could _not_ do that to someone as innocent as Jaden! He just could _not_ take his innocence! He would be beating himself up forever if he did.

Taking a deep breath of the cold air to clear his mind, he leaned against the railing and closed his eyes, shivering from excitement. He felt every muscle in his body quivering and his heart beating rapidly against his ribs, almost as though it would break free. But it was not just from desire. That was what scared him. It was from deep love. He had never thought it possible to feel so deeply about a person…It was enough to nearly make him sick at times. And he felt as though that was one of those times.

Leaning over the railing a little, he hung his head and sighed, feeling queasy. It sickened him to think about these emotions and physical reactions. He could deal with loving Jaden that deeply. But…he did not want to violate him. He did not want to harm him. He did not want to feel this way. But it could not be denied. It was not as though he could force himself to stop _feeling_ these things. If he had not known better, he would have wanted to talk to Jaden about them. But…he was too afraid to. He knew very well that he could tell the brunet anything but…this seemed different. Would Jaden get scared? Would Jaden offer it to him because he wanted Jesse to be happy? What if Jaden got hurt? Not to mention…he did not want to take Jaden's virginity. It just didn't seem right to him. It just made him feel so wrong and dirty. Especially since he was not sure if Jaden wanted him to have it. What if he was not the one for Jaden? What if he robbed Jaden of that so he could not give it to the one? Deep inside, he knew that he and Jaden fit like pieces of a puzzle. He knew that Jaden wanted to be with him forever, and he felt the same way. It was just…neither of them were experienced in relationships. And this was their first really serious one. And even if they had clicked from the get-go, he still felt as though it were too early. But what if he was ready? He just didn't know.

Breathing deeply, he tried to make himself forget it all. He concentrated on the cold surrounding his sweat-coated face, and the feeling of the frosty metal railing gripped tightly in his hands. Hearing the door behind him open and close softly, he inwardly cursed. The last thing he wanted at the moment was for Jaden to find him in this state and question him about it. As it was, he was shaking like crazy, and he was worried that the Slifer might be alarmed with his explanation. Even more worrisome was his fear that he might lose all control and jump the other boy. And that was not the way he wanted it at all.

"Jesse?" Came Jaden's soft, inquisitive voice. The brunet stepped up to the railing, laying a hand on the other's shoulder. "Are you sick?"

Jesse barely managed to lift his head, staring up at Jaden's chocolate eyes through a half-lidded gaze. His breaths were still coming in short pants, especially at feeling the added warmth of Jaden's hand on his shoulder. "I…I'll be Ok." He grinned weakly, trying to assure both himself and Jaden.

Looking skeptical, Jaden leaned on the railing next to him and stood close to him, shivering a bit. The two stood in silence for a long time, just gazing out into the darkness. Though, the silence was not unpleasant. It finally occurred to Jesse that Jaden might be waiting for some sort of explanation. He could feel that Jaden didn't buy his cheap attempt to blow it off, and that he would not go away until being given a proper excuse. Sighing heavily, he ran a hand through his hair and let his head hang a little lower, hoping that if he concentrated enough, the feeling would go away.

Jaden pressed closer against his side, a violent shiver running down his spine at the cold. Jesse suffered the same physical reaction, but not from the temperature. Looking surprised, Jaden glanced over at him. He laughed a little, since they had had the same reaction at about the same time. Jesse grinned weakly as well, unable to help himself. It was just funny.

"Ok, Jes," Jaden laughed, smirking, "I can see you're not going to tell me, so I'm going to have to get the information out of you by force."

Jesse glanced up at him. "Oh, no! It's not that…I want to tell you, I guess. But…at the same time I don't. I don't think you're ready to hear it." He fingered the edge of his nightshirt, staring at the fabric as though it were fascinating.

"Well," Jaden remarked, crossing one leg in front of the other and shifting his weight, "You never know until you try. Come on, man. It can't be _that_ bad." He ruffled Jesse's hair playfully, his grin widening.

Jesse begrudgingly lifted his head. He supposed he would have to tell Jaden _sometime_. He didn't want to randomly surprise the brunet one day. And he supposed they should at least start talking about it. After all, if he was feeling that way, didn't Jaden deserve to know? Sighing heavily, he reluctantly turned a little, his mint gaze meeting chocolate.

"I…I'm really sorry, Ok? And don't get me wrong about this. I just…figure I should talk with you about it. Just know that it's a very serious subject. And know that I won't hurt you or try to do anything you don't want me to do." He took Jaden's hands, his face reddening. What was he _thinking_?! Already, he had said too much to take it back. He was so _stupid_. He wanted to kick himself.

Jaden raised an eyebrow, still looking confused. "Ok…" His expression soon softened, though, as Jesse's words sunk in. "What do you mean?"

Jesse bit his lip as he thought about how to reply. He knew he would not chase Jaden away. Nothing could chase him away. But still…It was hard to tell him. "I mean," He began slowly, "That I'm starting to have feelings for you…that scare me. That I'm not sure I should have for you." At this, he mentally slapped himself on the forehead. Great. He had just made it sound a lot more malevolent than it was.

Indeed, Jaden looked concerned when Jesse told him this. His grip on the other's hands tightened. "Um…Does that mean you resent me?" Sadness lingered in the depths of his dark eyes. A sadness that tore Jesse to pieces. That emotion was the _last_ thing he wanted Jaden to feel.

"No, not at all," Jesse replied, staring down at their hands. He rubbed his thumb against the back of the other boy's hand as he thought. Then, he continued, "It's more or less like the opposite. I've…fallen even deeper in love with you." Having finally said that part, he breathed a sigh of relief. Perhaps it would not be so hard since that confession was out of the way.

Jaden opened his mouth, but nothing came out. He did not need to say anything, though. His eyes were dancing, showing that he was happy about it. A smile broke out on Jesse's face as he stepped closer to the brunet, releasing one of his hands so he could fondle Jaden's cheek gently and lovingly. Both shivered at the sensation of skin against skin and their eyes met. That was when Jesse knew that Jaden felt the same.

They really did not need words to explain it any further but…perhaps it was better to drop it out in the open so there was no room for interpretation. There was no longer any doubt in Jesse's mind that Jaden would accept whatever he had to say. So, he laid his hand against Jaden's warm cheek and left it there, still holding his hand tightly.

"Jay, don't freak out when I say this but…I'm beginning to want take our relationship a little, um, further."

"Like what?" Jaden asked, blinking. Though, the subtle twitch of his mouth gave away that he had an idea about what Jesse was talking about. No, he knew very well what Jesse was talking about. He was not stupid. And Jesse knew that Jaden was a lot more perceptive than most people gave him credit for. Jaden could sense whatever was going on in Jesse's mind. If anything, he knew that best of all.

"I wouldn't do it, obviously but…When I'm with you sometimes--not all the time, though--I feel like showing you how much I love you. I want to…" He paused for a second to think again, to hesitate. His words hung heavy in the air as Jaden leaned forward, looking expectant. Finally, Jesse finished his sentence, though it was spoken shakily and very quietly, so that only Jaden could. "I want to make love to you."

Jaden's mouth twitched again. He looked away for a moment, trying to suppress the smile, since it was a serious moment. It wasn't that he was laughing--that wasn't it at all. Rather, he was finding himself happy with this discovery. It meant a lot to him that Jesse felt so deeply for him. "Well," He said quietly in response, finally lifting his gaze to meet Jesse's, "I understand. Maybe one day…" He drifted off, directing his eyes towards the door.

Jesse brushed a strand of Jaden's hair out of his face, smiling sadly. "Well, I'm not so sure."

Directing his gaze back towards Jesse, Jaden made a little noise and looked confused. "Hmm?"

"I don't want to take that from you," Jesse told him, squeezing his hand tighter to steady his own hand, which was beginning to shake, "I want you to be sure about who you give that to…I don't want you to give up something that special if--"

Jaden frowned and put a finger to Jesse's lips, silencing him. "Please tell me you're joking."

It was Jesse's turn to look confused. He opened his mouth to protest, only to be shushed again.

"Jes," Jaden told him, chuckling softly and grinning, "I love you very much. I want to be with you for the rest of my life. And I know you feel the same. There's no way I'd ever dump you for anyone else. And if you ever wanted to part ways, then I would never find anyone else. After all, I'm not really into romance. I've never really felt this way before. Sure, I might have had some fleeting interests, such as Alexis, but I was never really serious about those types of things. I'm not really into that stuff and if I feel this way about you and want to give you this attention, then that's really something, you know? You're the only one I'll ever give this attention to. I'm serious about you. And if you think that I would do something as silly as withhold my virginity from you…then you're really self-conscious. I know you know better."

Jesse blinked. Was this actually happening? He blinked again, and felt almost like pinching himself, but he refrained. So Jaden _did_ want him to have it? Well, he should have known. He _had_ known deep down inside. But…he had just wanted to make sure. Sometimes, he grew insecure about things. Only when it came to Jaden, really. He didn't know why he hadn't been as confident about him for the past few weeks. Perhaps he should just take a deep breath and let it go. He figured it was only because it was something very new and very serious…Still…

"Sorry," He laughed a little, grinning sheepishly, "I guess I did get a bit self-conscious, huh? Well…it's just I've never had this feeling before and it kind of set me off balance."

Jaden nodded understandingly. "Ah, it's all right. I know what you mean. Don't worry about it, Ok? You know that you can talk about these things with me." He winked and laughed quietly.

"Well, that is true," Jesse admitted, "But…There is something more I'd like to say…"

"Oh?" Jaden cocked his head a bit to one side, waiting for Jesse to go on.

Jesse felt his face heat up as he confessed, "Jaden…I don't know about you but…I'm ready now. I'm willing to wait though. So…whenever you're ready to try something, just let me know. We really don't have to go all the way at once. Maybe we should start out small, just to get used to be closer to each other and all."

For a moment, Jaden was silent as he considered this. Finally, he nodded. "That sounds like a good idea. Though, I'm not really sure it'll turn out that way. Let's just go with whatever happens, Ok?" He patted Jesse on the shoulder, smiling encouragingly.

"Um, are you sure that's such a good idea? We might regret--"

Jaden cut him off with a small kiss on the lips. "It's fine. Don't worry about it. If we really are as serious as we say, then it won't be a problem in the long run. At least, I think." He scratched his head a bit, then laughed softly.

Jesse could not help the smile that broke out on his face. The way Jaden handled it so easily, so smoothly, made him feel a lot better. "Thanks, Jay," He said, bringing the other boy in his arms, close against his chest.

"Hey, no problem!" Jaden replied cheerily, embracing Jesse back.

The two stood there holding one another for a few moments, not moving or saying anything. There was really no need to. They had said what they had to in order to get their feelings out. The rest was communicated through that special nonverbal connection they had…It was not as though it was words. It was more like…they just knew. They just understood each other and could feel it…It made them feel as though they really had made the right choice in selecting each other.

Jaden began to shiver a bit harder, so Jesse pressed him closer, trying to warm him. However, by doing so was taking a risk; he was already excited. Truth be told, he was worried he might do something to jeopardize their newfound agreement or Jaden's trust. Just by holding him--touching him even--was driving Jesse insane. He had never thought that mere contact could do so much…

If he had thought he could get away with Jaden not noticing, then he was sorely wrong. The other noticed almost immediately. Not just because he was in tune with Jesse's thoughts and feelings. But, really, his physical reaction was enough to discern that. A trace of a smirk tugged Jaden's lips up a bit as he snuggled closer, burying his nose in Jesse's collarbone. He could not help but feel somewhat proud of it. After all, _he_ was the one making Jesse react so strongly. Not anyone else. Only he could have that effect on him…He really tried not to gloat inwardly about it. But…he really could not refrain. It not only made him gleeful and amused…It was also something he could easily relate to.

Entangling his fingers in Jaden's dark, silky hair, Jesse asked softly, "Don't you want to go back to bed?"

Jaden glanced up at him. "Not yet," He replied, smiling, "I'm enjoying myself right now."

Seeing that smile made Jesse's heart melt all over again. It just made him want to kiss the other boy so he could taste him…He wanted to remember what it felt like to be so close to him. But he was also worried that if he did that, he wouldn't be able to stop. Emotion won over logic and reason in the end. He was too overwhelmed at the moment to hold back. It had been so long since they had had a decent, lengthy kiss.

He leaned over slowly, brushing some hair out of Jaden's face again. Jaden watched him, surprised, as he tilted his head and leaned closer in his face. At the sensation of Jaden's warm, quick breaths on his face, Jesse blushed and let his eyes close. He just continued, letting their noses brush softly before their lips finally made contact. At first, it was nothing more than a gentle touch of the lips. But then, Jesse moved in again for a firmer, more passionate kiss, which caught Jaden off guard. All the same, he returned it just as passionately. Jesse held him tighter against him, kissing him as though there were no tomorrow. He could feel the other's heart pounding against his chest, against his own racing heart.

Jaden clung to his neck, his knees buckling a bit. Jesse felt his legs going to jelly as well, but that did not stop him. He found he just couldn't. In fact, before he even knew what he was doing, his hands had taken a mind of their own and were drifting down Jaden's back slowly. Before he could unconsciously run them all over the brunet's body, Jaden broke the kiss, pulling away to gulp air. He was giving Jesse a mild pointed look, though it was more or less to cover up his amused expression. It soon faded and gave way to a playful smile, though, which faltered a little as he spoke.

"Be careful, Jes,"

Jesse's face turned red. Quickly, he moved his hands back up to Jaden's shoulders. He buried his face in Jaden's neck, slightly embarrassed as he tried to calm his erratic breathing. "Sorry," He mumbled, his voice muffled, "I'm just glad you don't get angry about things like that."

"Why would I?" Jaden asked, laughing a bit. He rubbed Jesse's back, still smiling widely. "It's perfectly all right. I mean, I'm not sure how I feel about it I just…wasn't sure if now was the time for you to do that." He shrugged.

Jesse glanced up at him, grinning sheepishly. "Um, Jay?"

"What?" Jaden directed a look of mock-suspicion down in Jesse's direction, his eyebrow arched and his mouth in a skeptical smirk. Though, his dark eyes were dancing.

"Could we possibly…try a little something…tonight?" Jesse stared up at Jaden with pleading emerald eyes.

Laughing softly, Jaden replied, "I suspected so much. Come on." He took Jesse by the hand and led him back into the dorm room, closing the door softly behind them.

Jesse blinked, then whispered hoarsely in Jaden's ear, "Are you crazy? What if Hassleberry or Syrus wake up?"

"They won't if we're quiet and don't do much of anything," Jaden murmured under his breath, pulling Jesse back into bed with him. Then, he told him, frowning slightly, "Remember. Just a little. Not much. Right now I really don't feel like going too far. I just want to get a feel for it first. Just so I can know if I'm ready or not."

Jesse did not tell Jaden that he was not so sure if he could hold himself back. Already his breathing had grown more ragged. And that was just at the _thought_ of doing a little something! But Jaden seemed to trust him so… "I'll do my best," He said softly, swallowing hard, "And I'll keep that in mind."

Nodding, Jaden propped himself up on his elbow, looking into Jesse's eyes. "Well, um…I'm not really sure what to do…" He admitted, grinning weakly.

"We'll figure it out," Jesse whispered, lightly stroking the brunet's hair out of his face and planting a small kiss on his lips.

He pulled back so there was an inch between their lips. His stared into Jaden's eyes through a half-lidded gaze, a smile playing on his own lips and he slowly reached out and began to slip a hand up the other boy's shirt. Shivering, Jaden squeezed his eyes shut and let Jesse move his hand gradually from his abdomen to his chest, his breaths quickening at the sensation of skin to skin. Taking care to be as gentle as possible, Jesse stroked Jaden's chest lightly, just enjoying being able to touch him like that. Jaden lay still for a moment, just allowed the affection. He shivered every then and again, a light blush gracing his cheeks. After a moment, he propped himself up a little more and opened his eyes, letting his hand cup Jesse's face. Then, he let it drop down and slip up under Jesse's shirt as well. He explored the other as well, causing Jesse to shiver violently. It really did not help him to be touched like that. He knew he should not have asked. But he just had not been able to help it.

"Can we…just a little…more?" Jesse asked breathlessly, almost unable to form a coherent sentence. He was so dizzy, his head was spinning.

Jaden pondered this a moment, looking uncertain. His hand drifted over Jesse's pounding heart as he thought about it. Finally, he gave a curt nod. "Just a _little_. This…is new and…it sort of scares me, to be honest. But I think I can handle it if it's you. I know you wouldn't hurt me. I'm just…a little nervous, that's all." He smiled weakly.

"Well," Jesse said softly, leaning a bit closer in Jaden's face, offering him a genuine smile, "if you'd like, you can be totally in charge here. Guide me and I'll follow your lead so I'll know how far you want to go. Ok? I'm fine with whatever you choose to do."

Jaden thought about this for another moment before nodding again. "Just let me know if I'm accidentally torturing you," He teased gently, "And I really don't know what I'm doing but--"

"--But we'll figure that out together," Jesse interrupted, grinning.

"Ok," Jaden sighed, taking a deep breath, "I guess I'll just…"

"Do whatever comes to mind," Jesse suggested, "It's Ok. I'm not going to criticize you."

"I know," Jaden sighed again, shifting so that he was hovering over Jesse.

Jaden put a knee on either side of Jesse's hips, his hands on the pillow on either side of Jesse's head. The teal-haired duelist felt heat rising to his cheeks at the sight of Jaden over him like that; he knew that Jaden did not quite mean it in the same way it looked. Slowly he moved his hand up Jesse's shirt again, pushing it up as he went so he could look at the other's chest. Blinking, he gradually lowered himself on top of Jesse, causing him to tense up. Jaden had lain on top of him before so it was no big deal…He really did not feel as they were getting anywhere at first. But then…he realized that it did feel different this time. Maybe it was because they were doing it for a slightly different reason than before…

Looking completely innocent, Jaden tugged at Jesse's shirt until it came off, then peeled his own off as well, and lay back down on top of him. They stared into each others' eyes, their faces turning red. Jesse felt as though he were going to die. In all honestly, he was not sure if this had been such a good idea after all. In fact, he wanted to do more so badly it hurt. Of course, he would never tell Jaden this. Not at the moment. Perhaps the next day when he had recovered. But he did _not_ want Jaden to feel obliged to do something he was not ready to do. He knew Jaden was even less experienced than he was in this sort of thing and was not quite yet ready to give him more. And that meant he was not ready either. So he had to hold his tongue and, above all, be patient.

While he had been so caught up in his thoughts, he had not noticed that he had unconsciously spread his legs a ways, so that Jaden had slipped between them. Both blushed at feeling each other through their pants. For a moment, Jaden did nothing about it, just lay there as though too embarrassed to move. During this time, Jesse felt as though he were going to lose it. It made his urges increase tenfold. He sent Jaden a pained look, which prompted the brunet to shift his weight enough so that the stifling pressure was reduced.

"Sorry," he laughed weakly, his face still beet red.

"It's Ok," Jesse assured him, though he was badly shaken.

Jaden lay still for a few torturous moments before he recovered from his embarrassment fully. Then, he ran his hands gently down Jesse's chest and abs over and over again, seemingly fascinated. Jesse twitched and reacted to every touch, which made Jaden all the more enthralled. He jumped a little as Jesse returned the affection once again. Each time he ran his hand down, he dipped a little lower, until Jaden finally caught his hand to prevent him from going too far. Jesse quickly murmured an apology. Jaden merely smiled in response and patted his hand in assurance.

"Soon," He promised Jesse, touching his cheek, "but not tonight."

Nodding feebly, Jesse let his hands drop to his sides. All this abstaining was exhausting him. Self-control had never been his forte.

Jaden cocked his head a bit to one side, watching Jesse carefully. Slowly, he slid off the other boy and grabbed his shirt, pulling it back over his head. Realizing that Jaden was done, Jesse retrieved his shirt and pulled it over his head as well. They averted their gaze for a few silent moments, then finally looked at one another again.

"Um," Jaden said, his smile twitching a bit, "Sorry. I was just done…I didn't want to go too far."

Jesse's mouth went dry. He nodded to show he understood, then yawned despite himself. "I'm glad you did stop…in the long run anyway. It was getting too difficult to hold back." He grinned wanly, wiping some of the cold sweat from his brow. "But…as funny as it may sound, I might be able to sleep now. Using so much willpower really tired me out!"

"I could tell that you were having trouble," Jaden sighed, settling down amongst the covers, "that's why I stopped. And…hopefully we'll both be able to rest after that. I might have some trouble but that's all right. I'm glad we talked and tried that."

Grinning, Jesse rolled over on his side to look at Jaden, who had already snuggled against the pillow and readied himself to sleep. "So, how'd it feel? Do you think you might be ready to go a little bit farther next time?"

Jaden opened one eye to look at him, smirking a bit. "Maybe," He teased, "And it…felt good. I liked it. It's not so bad once you get past the initial nervousness."

"That's what I thought," Jesse poked him on the nose, then kissed it, "Well, I guess that's that. Good night, Jay."

"Night, Jes," Jaden kissed him on the cheek, and curled up against the other boy's body. He paused for a moment. Then, he leaned over and whispered in Jesse's ear, "I love you."

A wide grin spread across Jesse's features, even as he started to drift off. "I love you too."

The two boys snuggled closer to each other, pulling the covers up high and tried to get to sleep. It was not easy for either of them, but eventually, exhaustion took its toll. They did not even notice when the alarm clock went off at its usual time. Not that they would have gotten up anyway. For the first time in what felt like weeks, they actually got a full, uneventful night's sleep.

* * *

**A/N: Lol I know it's shorter than my other chapters but…transition chapter people. And I felt as though my chapters were getting unbearably long anyway. X.x I didn't want to kill you anymore. And yeah…was it all right? I hate the last paragraph but I couldn't think of anything else and...I mean, I could picture that happening relatively easily and yeah I did blend some ideas together that I got from talking and rping things out with people but…yeah. I hope it was enjoyable enough. I don't want to focus on the physical just yet. I want to focus on their emotions and how they feel about each other. So…gonna have to wait a bit longer. ;)**


	7. Chapter 7

**A/N: Aw man, I haven't updated this in awhile…Sorryz. DX You guys probally don't even remember this fic, lol! Well, guess what? Neither do I! :D So I have no idea what I'm going to do until the, ahem, turning point. ^^;**

**Disclaimer: I do not own GX.**

* * *

Chapter 7:

"So, are you sure that's what you heard?" Jaden blinked in disbelief, staring up at Jesse from the bench he was currently sitting on.

Jesse nodded. "Positive. Viper's gone. Point blank."

Stunned, Jaden shook his head. "Do you think he left the island?"

"I reckon so," Jesse replied, shifting his weight from one foot to the other, "But I can't be sure. I'm jus' repeating what I overheard from the teachers. They haven't seen him for weeks now. Of course, he could still be around. Huh." Looking up at the sky, Jesse scratched his head in thought.

"Ok, so he comes here to screw around with our lives and then he _leaves_? What a coward." Jaden scowled, clenching his fists. "If I find him again, I'll…I'll…"

"You'll what, Jay?" Jesse tilted his head a bit to one side, his brow furrowing in concern. Would Jaden be so angry that he would actually…? No, he would never do that…Would he?

"…I'll _duel_ him!" Jaden finally sputtered, his frown deepening in determination.

Jesse sighed and shook his head. "Oh, Jaden."

"Well, I would have anyway…But that's not the point! He's really in trouble now! Alexis…I don't know if she's going to be Ok. It's been _weeks_." Jaden bit his lip, looking worried.

Jesse nodded slowly, easing himself down onto the bench next to the brunet. They sat in silence for a moment, each deep in thought about Alexis. She had not shown any improvement. Granted, she had not gotten worse either. But the fact that she had not waken up at all worried them both terribly. And they were equally worried about Chazz. He had hardly left her side. He absolutely refused to go to class, and would not touch his homework. He skipped meals, too. The situation was taking a toll on his health. But no one could convince him to at least try to keep himself up. He'd said that 'he would keep his lady company by being in a sickly state as well.' That was not doing anyone any good. After all, if he was in such a state, how could he take care of her if she needed him?

Since her coma had seemed so sudden and mysterious, Jesse was beginning to think that it might have been induced by a chemical or something of the sort. If that were the case, then perhaps Professor Viper had the remedy as well. No one really knew what had happened to her to put her in that state. They could make conjectures but they could not be sure. If they really wanted to know and if they really wanted to solve the problem, then they would have to track down Viper and ask him. Too bad he had dropped off the face of the earth.

Glancing over at Jaden, Jesse wondered if he were going to do something so brash as to try to track Viper down. The brunet's gaze slid in his direction around the same time, and their eyes locked. Jaden's angry, determined gaze sent a little chill down Jesse's spine. Something about that look…it just wasn't Jaden. He found himself grinning nervously despite himself. He gave a small laugh, but it was not because he was happy or thought the look was funny. Jaden only scowled deeper.

"I can't stand this anymore." He stood quickly.

Jesse blinked. "What do you mean?" He stood as well.

"I'm going after Viper. I will find him if it takes me an entire year!" Jaden clenched his fists, having made up his mind.

"Wh-What?!" Jesse was taken aback. "Are you sure?"

"Positive. I can't let him get away with this! After all, he hurt my friend. And what if he tries to hurt other people too? No…I won't stand for this. I'm going to find him, and I'm going to duel him!" He slammed his fist into his open palm to emphasize his point. "I've been wanting to have a duel with him anyway. We'll see how much he likes these biobands when he's on the receiving end of them! Besides, he seems like he could be a strong opponent. There are so many reasons to go hunt him down."

"Maybe you should think about this…" Jesse said weakly, "I mean, you can't just go running off like that without any leads."  
"Oh, we'll find him all right." Jaden assured him smirking, "In fact, he's going to lead us right to him. I've got a plan…"

Jesse, to say the least, was not too happy about this. He was all for helping others out but…Jaden was jumping into something he had no background information on. Then again…the more he thought about what Viper had done to Jaden, the angrier he felt as well. Maybe Jaden was right. Even if it was rash, even if it did take awhile, they needed to start somewhere. They needed to take action. Finally, he sighed. "Ok, Jay, I'll bite."

"So you're in?" Jaden asked, blinking and smiling a little.

Jesse nodded, forcing a smile as well. "You betcha."

"Sweet. Meet me in Chazz's room at midnight."

Jesse was puzzled. "Why midnight?" He asked, "You need time to prepare for your plan?"

Jaden blinked and scratched his cheek. "Nah, I just thought it sounded cool. Anyway, see ya then!" He slapped Jesse's hand before turning around and stuffing his hands in his pockets.

Jesse watched him walk away, then stared back down at his hand. "Oh, boy…" What was Jaden up to?

* * *

"Ouch!" Jesse winced as he struggled to push past the bushes. He wondered _why_ he was coming the back way to the Slifer dorm. What sense did it make when he could have just taken the pathway? He had to remind himself that someone might see the large group of people trickling into Chazz's vacant room, and would be suspicious. No one could find out about what was going on. It was, as Jaden had put it so childishly, 'super secret.' So, that was why he was trekking through the forest in the middle of the night, having left the dorm to pick up a carton of chocolate milk from Ms. Dorothy. He had no clue what Jaden needed it for, but he had said it was urgent.

Jesse stopped at the clearing and checked several times. There was no one there, so he hurried to the nearest bush. From there, he darted to a tree, then, finally to the front of the dorm. Quietly, carefully, he slipped past the door into Chazz's room. It was darker than it had been outside, so he had to wait a moment for his eyes to adjust. There was no sign of anyone. Frowning, he stepped into the room. And then…

"Aaahh!" He fell down the three steps leading down to the sitting area and landed on his face. He had forgotten they were there.

Face burning, he picked himself up off the floor and tried to feel his way around the room so he wouldn't bump into anything. Well, he could only do so much with one hand occupied with the gallon of chocolate milk. And he couldn't predicate where any furniture lower than his hands were. He nearly tripped over the table, and muttered a small curse under his breath. Why did it have to be so dark?

He made his way down the short hall, though it took him awhile to get there. He felt along the walls to help guide him, until he caught a glimpse of a dim light shining from another room. Biting his lip and reminding himself not to leap at the opportunity, he turned into the room.

It took another moment for his eyes to adjust. When they did, he saw Jaden sitting on the floor, a few candles in the middle of the floor. Around him sat Jim, Hassleberry, and Syrus. Jesse raised an eyebrow as he took the empty spot between Jaden and Jim.

"What is this, a séance?"

"No. Did you get the milk?" Jaden asked.

Sighing, Jesse held the carton up. "Yup. I don't know what you need this for but—"

"Hey, thanks." Jaden took the milk from him and unscrewed the top, taking a large gulp. Jesse stared. "I was thirsty." Jaden explained, wiping his mouth on his sleeve.

"You mean to tell me…" Jesse groaned, pinching the bridge of his nose as a migraine threatened to come on, "That you made me go out _through_ the woods at eleven at night to get you _milk_ just because you _felt_ like it?"

Jaden blinked. "Is there a problem?" He asked a bit sarcastically, "Look, I had a craving. I can't think on an empty stomach. Hey…you didn't happen to bring food did you?"

Jesse groaned. "Oh, Jay…" He shook his head, but could not repress the amused smile that came to his lips. Well, he might not have been too happy about lugging that gallon of chocolate milk, but he loved Jaden and forgave him for it. It was actually kind of funny. He turned his attention back to the Slifer, who was staring at him hopefully with big puppy dog eyes. "Well, I know you. So I always keep a little something on hand." Jesse threw a candy bar in Jaden's direction.

Jaden caught it and grinned. "Thanks, Jes! You're the greatest, did you know that?"

Before either of them could continue with their conversation, Jim cleared his throat. "Sorry to sound rude, mates, but…Aren't we in a lil' bit of a crisis?"

"Oh, right," Jaden looked more serious, though it was hard to look that way with chocolate crumbles surrounding his mouth. "Anyway," He took a moment to swallow his mouthful of candy bar. "So here's the plan. These biobands monitor our dueling, right?"

"Yeah, isn't that what Viper said? That he was going to keep track of who dueled and who didn't?" Hassleberry asked.

"Yeah, I don't get it then. What's that have to—" Syrus began.

"That's exactly it!" Jaden interrupted, tapping the strap of his bioband, "In order for him to keep track our dueling, he has to keep track of _us_ too. I know that's the case because when Alexis and I were trapped in his, er, _lair_…heh heh…we saw computer monitors that showed surveillance and information about every student at Duel Academy. That means that these are kinda like tracking devices." He scratched his head and looked up at the ceiling.

"So…what's your point? We already knew this already." Hassleberry pointed out.

Grinning, Jaden replied, "Well, if it does what we _think_ it does—or, at least what Ms. Fountaine said it does—and it's a tracking device, then it has to give off a signal from where we are. And if it gives off a signal from where we are, then there has to be some sort of receiving device that picks up on the signal. And if that's true, then we can _trace_ the signal back to wherever he chooses to hide! Because, obviously, he has more than one place to monitor this stuff. I don't think he's done yet because these are still active. Right?"

Jesse blinked. "Wow…you really have thought this out…"

"Yep!" Jaden grinned, then leaned forward, smirking. "So what do you guys think about trying to catch him, huh?"  
"Well, I don't know what he's after, but he did hurt Alexis. And I can't tolerate a lady getting hurt like that," Jim said, pulling his hat a little more over his face and smirking, "If what you're saying is true, then it would require a powerful amount of energy. I think that I can track him down, easily, especially since I have a keen nose on my side. Isn't that right, Shirley?"

The crocodile strapped to his back gave a small noise of agreement. The others backed away from Jim.

Jesse laughed weakly, "Funny how no one guessed that...Jay, you're a genius."

Jaden's face turned a little pink, and he grinned widely, holding up two fingers. "Hey, it's what I do."

"So…you told us what you thought. Now what's the big plan?" Hassleberry asked.

"Yeah, Jay, you've kept it a big secret until now." Syrus agreed.

"Well," Jaden replied, smirking wryly and scratching his nose, "I think Jim should definitely track Viper down. The way he can do that is for two of us to duel. That way, the energy will be given off and he can get a better signal. Then, we just make note of where he is and leave as quickly as possible to go find him. One of us duels him, wins, and then exposes him for what he really is. See?"

"You make it sound so easy…" Syrus sighed, hanging his head and closing his eyes.

"Well, that's because it _will_ be easy," Jaden assured them, taking another gulp of the chocolate milk and smirking, "I promise you…this will be sure to work."

The others weren't so sure, but they had to trust Jaden. After all, what other options did they have? It was the best idea any of them had come up with. Question was, would it work?

* * *

"You guys sure about this?" Syrus asked as Jesse and Jaden stood outside the school the next morning, facing each other with their duel disks activated.

"Positive," Jaden replied, "We have to do this if we want to find Viper."

"Yup," Jesse agreed, "We have no choice. Don't worry about us; we know what we're doing and we'll be just fine."

"I don't know…" Syrus bit his lip, looking uncertain.

"As long as Hassleberry and Jim are ready in their assigned places, we'll be fine. As soon as they get the measurements, we'll stop." Jaden assured him.

"Ok…" Syrus reluctantly agreed, yet still seemed uncertain, "Well, I guess that means you should go ahead."

He didn't need to tell them twice. They only shuffled their decks and began the duel. Truth be told, Jesse was worried. He didn't want to hurt Jaden, as he was afraid he might. But he knew he had to give his best shot if they wanted to catch Viper. So he had to push his fears aside and do his best. Jaden did not hold back either. He put his whole heart into it, pushing himself beyond his limit. He really kept Jesse on his toes, especially with defense. All the same, he found himself enjoying it. Jaden gave him a kind of duel that no one else could. It was special not just because Jaden was such a good duelist, but also because dueling with him was almost like an expression of their feelings for each other. It might have seemed strange but it was true. It was their way of bonding.

Although they dueled almost every day and discussed card strategies, this duel was different. Neither of them was dueling simply for the pure pleasure of it. They _were_ enjoying it, but they were also a little more serious about it than usual. This was to protect the ones they loved. This was for Alexis.

Syrus watched them nervously, biting his lip. He kept glancing down at the PDA he gripped so tightly in his small hand, waiting for the signal from Jim. It was taking way too long for his comfort. If Jim didn't get back to him soon, he might try to stop them in the middle of the duel himself! After all, he didn't want them to get hurt. Then what would they do? What if Viper had made it so they would die from the exertion? They had to figure out where he was located before the duel was concluded. If Jesse and Jaden would stop dueling. As it was, the two boys seemed too caught up in it to notice their surroundings. It was good to see them so passionate about the game but…they had other priorities at the moment, didn't they? Though, watching Jaden take a hit to his life points was most unpleasant. He almost couldn't stand it.

As Jaden gripped his side, looking pained and tired, Syrus finally got a message on his PDA. Quickly, he pressed the button accepting the message, and Jim's face appeared on the screen.

"I've got some bad news."

The last thing he wanted to hear. He felt his blood run cold and he shook a little. "Wh-what?"

"It's not nearly enough energy. I'm getting a constant reading, but it's too weak. I think they're going to have to go all the way through with it." Jim explained, frowning, "Let's just hope they can handle it."

"B-But—!"

"We have no choice. If they don't do something, then other people will get hurt. And I can't stand for that. You know you can't either." Jim told him.

"I guess that's true," Syrus admitted, sighing heavily, "Ok, thanks for telling me. I'll…let them know."

He turned the PDA off and looked back over at Jaden, who was summoning Neos. He really did not want to encourage them. He might have even told them to stop, had he not known better. Slowly, he stepped closer to the two boys, and cleared his throat.

"Um, guys?"

Jesse and Jaden looked up at him, a little surprised. They'd been so entranced by the duel that they had forgotten he had been there.

"Jim says that you're probably going to have to finish the duel. He says the signal is too weak. He needs you to give more. Do you…think you can hang on? Can you handle it?" Syrus looked nervously from one to the other.

Jesse and Jaden exchanged a glance. Then, to Syrus' surprise, they both smiled. "Are you kidding me?" Jaden said enthusiastically, "This is great! I wasn't going to stop anyway at this point, but if he says he needs more energy, then I'll be glad to deliver!"

"You can say that again," Jesse agreed, smirking, "There's no way I'm letting him slip through my fingers! I got him on the lines right now! I can't let such a good duel go to waste. So, what do you say, Jay? Think you can stand a little defeat?"

"Oh, you're on! Bring it!" Jaden challenged, seeming to have renewed strength.

Sighing heavily, Syrus shook his head. "I guess I should have known…"

He had no choice but to sit back and watch them put all they had into the duel. It was really entertaining. They were both skilled and fully into the game. But would that really be enough? Then again, if they were that passionate about it, then it had to work. If it didn't, then nothing would.

* * *

Hassleberry approached Jim, carrying two backpacks. The Australian turned slightly and glanced at him as he approached, though he did not avert his attention from the small device he was holding. He watched it carefully as it recorded the energy expelled from the duel.

"Well, everything's in place," Hassleberry sighed, setting the backpack down, "Now we just have to wait on the Sarge."

"Good," Jim replied, his eyes still glued to the device in his hand, "But I don't know how long it will take Jaden."

"Hopefully not too long," Hassleberry muttered, looking concerned, "Alexis ain't lookin' so hot."

Glancing briefly up at the dino duelist, Jim asked cautiously, "What do you mean?"

"Well, she's gotten worse. And Chazz is all upset. If we don't find a way to cure her soon, then she's a goner."

"Hmm," Jim looked thoughtful, "Well, we can't have that. Don't worry. We won't let her die."

They lapsed into silence, each to his own thoughts. The only sound was the quiet beeping from Jim's handheld, as well as an occasional growl from Shirley. Hassleberry sat down on the ground next to Jim; all they could do was wait. He wanted to go help Jaden but there was nothing more he could do. It made him so anxious to have to sit there and do nothing. He wanted in on the action.

"Mmm, looks like we're finally getting somewhere." Jim suddenly remarked.

Hassleberry glanced over at his handheld. It was beginning to emit a high-pitch noise, the beeps coming faster. "Do we have enough?"

Jim nodded. "Sure do. But…it won't stop increasing. We have to wait for it to settle down so we can get a lock on the signal."

"That thing is going crazy!" Hassleberry pointed out, staring at it. Though he understood why. He could even feel the disturbance. His primal instincts began to kick in.

Shirley growled low in her throat, beginning to thrash. Jim reached out and stroked her, trying to shush her. "There, there, it's all right, girl." He pulled his bandana from his neck and quickly tied it over her eyes, trying to calm her down as he talked soothingly to her.

"I don't want her getting too upset or she might hurt herself," He explained to Hassleberry, then noticed that the other boy seemed to be in the same predicament. "Well, now, what's this? Oh…that's right…You have that 'dino DNA.' Now, now, there's no need to get upset. We're going to be all right."

It was one thing to calm a crocodile. It was another to try to calm a hybrid boy.

Before he had time to think about it any more, though, the device distracted him. He glanced down at the readings and gasped. "Oh, boy, this isn't good. Hassleberry, you have to snap out of it. We've got trouble!"

Hassleberry growled, but leapt to his feet. Jim only followed suit, and the two ran off in the direction of the school, where a large cloud of smoke could been seen.

* * *

Syrus coughed as the wind blew the smoke in his direction. He squinted, trying to see as the cloud slowly cleared. Who had won the duel? In the end, though, it didn't matter. As long as the goal was accomplished. Worried, he stepped closer to the spot where Jesse and Jaden had been standing, waving his hand through the foggy air.

"Jay? Jes? Hello?" He stopped and looked around carefully, then gasped. "Jaden!"

The Slifer was lying on the concrete on his stomach, passed out. Syrus felt dread rising from the pit of his stomach. He had known this hadn't been a good idea! He had known he should stop them. But did he? No…He should not have trusted Jaden's word. He should have trusted his gut feeling. Kneeling by Jaden, he put a hand on his shoulder and shook him furiously.

"Jaden! Please wake up…"

He glanced over in the direction Jesse had been standing. He, as well, was lying on the concrete, unconscious. Neither of them looked that good. Both of them were pale, with pained expressions on their faces. He wondered if they were dead.

Quickly, he pressed his fingers on the inside of Jaden's neck, feeling for a pulse. He was quite relieved to find one, though it was weak. He did not want to leave Jaden's side, but feared that Jesse might be dead, so he went to check him as well. Much to his relief, he was alive as well, though barely. Standing up, he realized that this had gone way too far.

At that moment, Jim and Hassleberry came running up. They stopped when they saw the two duelists lying flat on the ground, then glanced at each other. Hassleberry quickly snapped out of his state of mind, and rushed over to Jaden's side. Jim hurried over to Jesse's.

"What happened, Private Truesdale?!" Hassleberry asked, gently pulling Jaden to his feet.

"Well, um, they finished the duel…" Syrus hung his head.

"Yes, obviously," Jim sighed, pulling Jesse to his feet, "But what happened?"

"I don't know. I couldn't see after the explosion." Syrus admitted, looking sheepish.

"This is not good," Jim told them, "I've got a lock on Viper's hideouts too! One of them is moving…I think he's carrying it with him. If we don't go now, then we'll lose him!"

"But what about Jesse and Jaden, huh?" Syrus snapped, stamping his foot, "We can't just abandon them!"

"It's what the Sarge would have wanted," Hassleberry told him, smiling sadly, "He didn't go to all this trouble and sacrifice just so we could sit back and worry about him."

Jim nodded. "I agree. We have to continue with his plan."

"But, we _need_ him for his plan!" Syrus protested, "What are we going to do?"

"A little adjustment," Hassleberry decided, hoisting Jaden onto his back, "If he doesn't wake up on the way there and insist to go with us, then I'll duel Viper myself!"

"And if that doesn't work, then I will." Jim agreed.

"Though, I sort of wonder if you should unleash your crocodile on him instead," Hasseberry joked.

"Nah, Viper's not a snack she would enjoy," Jim assured him, walking towards the entrance of the school carrying Jesse, "Too tough to chew with all that hardened muscle."

"Oh, yeah, guess that's right," Hassleberry muttered, trailing behind with Jaden.

They took the boys to the infirmary for what felt like the hundredth time. Ms. Fountaine look up from her paperwork as they trudged in, looking dismayed. Quickly, she hurried to check them out. Syrus bit his lip as he watched her fuss over them. They looked even worse than they had before, if that was even possible. He could tell they were struggling to even breathe. This worried him. What if they didn't make it? What if they…died?

"This is not good," Ms. Fountaine told them, quickly placing them into beds, "Their bodies are shutting down…"

"You mean they're dying?!" Syrus exclaimed, his voice coming out in a squeak.

Ms. Fountaine hesitated, then nodded. "Well, that's not to say that nothing can be done. I'm sure I can stabilize them. But if they don't get the treatment they need right away…" She trailed off, leaving the rest to their imaginations.

The three fell silent. They only watched Ms. Fountaine bustle about the room, placing oxygen masks over their faces and checking them over. Syrus wondered how he could've let them get this far. How could he have let his best friend practically kill himself? It wasn't worth it. After all, they probably weren't even going to go after Viper anymore. Or, at least, that's what he thought.

"Are you sure they'll be all right?" Hassleberry suddenly asked, his face drooping.

Sighing, Ms. Fountaine nodded. "I'm sure I can take care of them."

"Good. We don't need them dying on us. As much as I hate to do this…We're going to have to go." Jim said, shifting uncomfortably.

"What?!" Syrus was so shocked, he almost fell over. "Even after _that_?! Why can't we just stay here? They need us!"

"They'll have to do without," Jim told him, "They sacrificed themselves for us."

Before Syrus could argue any further, the door to the infirmary opened, and Chazz stepped in, holding a tray with some food on it. He placed the tray on Ms. Fountaine's desk. Well, more like he dropped it. He glanced over at Jesse and Jaden briefly before collapsing in his seat next to Alexis, looking exhausted.

"So, what are you dorks doing here?" He asked halfheartedly, leaning back in his seat. He sounded more miserable than bitter.

"Jaden and Jesse dueled. We were trying to find where Viper was so they had to put their all into it. I guess it kind of backfired." Syrus replied, staring down at the floor.

Chazz did not reply. He only glanced back over at Alexis, and took her hand. He hung his head sorrowfully, looking as though he'd all but given up hope. It really was a sobering sight. Their friends were all suffering, and it was Viper's fault. This was what made up their minds. If they wanted their friends to be saved, then they would _have_ to do something. And as much as he did not like to admit it, Syrus realized that he would have to leave Jaden if he wanted him to be all right. It might have seemed wrong to not stop him from hurting himself. But it was even more so to let this continue. He could never let himself hear the end of it if something bad happened to Jaden permanently.

"Well, I guess we'd better get going," Jim sighed, breaking the silence, "We got a long way ahead of us. Just let us know if anything happens to them."

Ms. Fountaine nodded. "Don't worry. You'll be the first to know."

With that in mind, Jim turned to his companions and gave a little nod as an indication that they should leave. Reluctantly, they started to walk out, casting one last apologetic glance in Jaden and Jesse's direction. They had no choice. They had to leave and catch Viper before it was too late.

* * *

Much to Ms. Fountaine's surprise, Jaden awoke within the next few hours. He was still in poor shape, but his strength of spirit forced him to recuperate. He was so weak, he struggled to so much as open his eyes. But he managed. Blinking, he glanced around himself. It took a moment for him to realize where he was, since his mind was so fogged up. His first impulse was to close his tired eyes and go back to sleep, but then he remembered Viper. Finding new energy, he shot up to a sitting position, his eyes wide. Ms. Fountaine hurried over to him, scolding him and telling him he needed to lie back down. But he refused to listen. He pulled the oxygen mask off his face, then looked around again, ignoring Ms. Fountaine's protests. That was when he saw Jesse. His eyes widened.

"What happened to him?!" He demanded to know, leaping out of bed.

"Please lie down!" Ms. Fountaine grabbed his arm, and tried to force him back into bed.

He shrugged her off. "I won't until you tell me what happened to him!" He rushed over to Jesse's side, almost falling over in the process.

Ms. Fountaine sighed. He wasn't going to listen, obviously. "He passed out from the duel. Just like you did. Now will you please lie down?"

"Is he going to be all right?" Jaden asked, ignoring her request.

"Sure he'll be fine," Chazz snorted from across the room, "But I don't know about your other friends."

"What do you mean?" Jaden asked, looking concerned.

Ms. Fountaine held her face in one hand, shaking her head. "Oh, please don't get him started…"

"Hassleberry, Jim, and Syrus left to go take care of Viper." Chazz told him, scowling, "And I don't think that's a very smart idea for them to try to duel him."

"What?!" Jaden's eyes widened. He turned back towards Ms. Fountaine. "How long have I been out?"

"A few hours," She answered, grimacing. "Frankly, you should be glad. You're lucky to have woken up so soon. It should've taken you a few days at least."

Jaden groaned, holding his head in his hands. "Well, I guess I have no choice."

Ms. Fountaine eyed him suspiciously. "What do you mean?"

He refused to reply. For a moment, he seemed torn. He glanced over at Jesse, then towards the door. Finally, he leaned over Jesse and pressed his lips briefly to the other's cheek, murmuring an apology in his ear. Then, he turned around and hurried out the door.

"Where do you think—?" Ms. Fountaine began, reaching out to seize Jaden.

Jaden managed to dodge her hand, and slipped through the door quickly. He ran down the hall, ignoring the pain spreading over him. He would not let himself succumb to weakness. He was going to go find his friends and Viper. But how could he do that? Thinking fast, he pulled out his PDA. Hoping that his friends wouldn't tell him to go back to the infirmary, he sent a message to Jim, asking where he was.

A moment later, the screen came on, and Jim's face appeared. "Jaden? What are you doing awake?"

"Did you think that could keep me down for long?" Jaden asked, grinning, "Now come on, tell me where Viper is. I still want to duel him, you know."

"You can't be serious…After what happened to you? How could you recover so fast?" Jim did not seem amused.

"Well, I'm just strong, I guess." Jaden shrugged, then joked, "So are you going to tell me where you guys are? Or am I going to have to track you down?"

Jim sighed heavily. "We could use a little help, I guess. I'll send you the information about where he's hiding. It's funny because he really _is_ still on the island." It was obvious that he did not want to put Jaden in harm's way, but he had no choice. Things were not going as well as he would have liked, and they needed Jaden's help.

A moment later, a map came up on the screen, with a path outlined. "Sweet." Jaden scanned the map momentarily, then put his PDA in his back pocket.

He hurried outside, running the entire way. He had no time to spare. If Viper thought he was going to get away with his crimes that easily, then he was wrong. There was no way that Jaden was going to let his friends suffer any longer. There was no way that Viper was going to inflict this on anyone else. He would duel him, defeat him, and make him realize that he should change his ways. Who knew? Maybe he would change his mind. Jaden just hoped that his friends hadn't already gotten themselves into trouble. He hurried even though it hurt because he didn't want to take the chance. Little did he know that he was only making it worse. He was only walking into Viper's trap.

* * *

**A/N: Yeah yeah, not the best ever. I know kinda random/repetitive. I promise that I'll stop the whole 'Jaden gets hurt and then runs out of the infirmary to go find Viper and save his friends' after this because he faces him for the last time next chapter. But…meh. I have fun writing this story so…yeah. Ummm Idk if I should include an actual duel next chapter or not. If I do…would anyone be willing to proof read my duel? I don't wanna fuck it up.**


	8. Chapter 8

****

A/N: Well! Consider yourselves lucky! I have decided to spare you from the duel. XD Yes, well all enjoy watching it. But it just loses the magic in the process of turning a purely visual game into words. In other words…it's not all that interesting. -.- But it is HELLA fun to write. Anyway, since it takes me so long and since Chazzi is very lazy, there will be mentions of what is going on but it will be moar story than anything. As in, the duel will not be fully illustrated. And hoooo boy lemme tell you…I think that things between Jesse and Jaden are about to heat up big time if ya know what I mean hrhrhr! 8D Lime, anyone? Maybe not dis chapter but we'll see. Anywayz, on wif da chapter! X3 (thank God I don't have to come up with a title either! -.-

**Disclaimer: Chazzi does not own GX. Chazzi only owns the chocolate that she ate b/c she stole it from the candy bag. And as everyone knows, never give Chazzi candy because even ONE piece makes her hyper and crazier than she is and she gets her hands on a chapter and fucks it up and freaks the whole world out. Translation: BEWARE MWAHAHAHA! 8D**

* * *

Chapter 8:

"Well, it seems as though the bad guys always like the hardest places to get to," Jaden grumbled as he climbed over a few rocks. He was on his way to the volcano, where Jim had pinpointed Viper's location to be. Really, he did not understand why places like that had to be so popular. After all, Viper was going to be found anyway. Shouldn't he have just picked an easier spot? Well, at least it should make it exciting. Especially if the volcano erupted.

Quickly, Jaden shook this thought from his mind. It was not the time to be thinking about how exciting the duel was going to be—even if that was a majority of what he cared about. He had to have priorities. Everyone was counting on him. Especially Jesse. He could not let the teal-haired duelist down. Just thinking about him stuck in the infirmary sent a shiver down his spine. He really did feel for him. First came the sympathy and concern for his boyfriend. Then, a surge of rage flooded over him, and he had the insatiable urge to go beat Viper's head in. Even though he had never been quite the violent type, when it came to Jesse and when his friends were that badly in danger, it did make him more than a little miffed. Of course, he would never act on those feelings but still…

Panting a little from exertion, Jaden quickened his pace. Despite the stitch that was beginning to ache in his side, he continued on without stopping. How could he stop at a time like this? Even if he was unwell, that was not going to hold him back. Nothing was going to hold him back from setting Viper straight. He could not allow anyone else to get hurt. Besides, he was growing tired of the little game that the teacher was playing.

Grunting a little in pain, he endured and climbed over yet another fallen tree. "Almost there," He reminded himself, glancing at his PDA. It would not be long before he left the forest and emerged near the volcano.

As he made his way through the forest, he wondered if his friends would be there waiting for him. Or maybe they were going to be in hiding, spying on Viper. After all, he supposed they did not want to get caught just yet. They did have to wait for him. Still, he kind of hoped that they would already be there. Just in case Viper had tried to move or something. Then they would be able to keep him there so he could actually find the teacher. If he was on the move then it would be more of a wild chase to find him. Already they had lost track of him several times. But this was the last straw. Jaden was determined to catch up with him this time. And this time he would win him in a duel. Hopefully that would do the trick and Viper would not try to hurt them anymore.

His attention was brought back to the present when he saw the volcano looming beyond the trees. A wave of excitement washed over him. Just a few more feet to go. He stopped at the edge of the forest and peered out, trying to see if Viper was anywhere in sight. At first, he could not spot anything suspicious in the landscape. But then he looked up. There, climbing up the side of the volcano, was Viper himself. He had a rather large backpack on, and was carrying something that Jaden could not make out. Whatever he was doing though, it was definitely no good. Frowning, Jaden hurried out of the brush and charged in the direction of the teacher.

"Professor Viper!" He shouted, stopping near the base of the volcano. His voice echoed.

The man froze in his tracks and looked down at Jaden in contempt. "What do you want?" He snapped, irate.

Jaden clenched his fists, his frown deepening. "I want you to duel with me. You'd better duel with me this time."

Professor Viper continued to stare down at him for several moments, silent and unmoving. Finally, there was an indication that he had heard Jaden. A smirk tugged the corners of his lips upwards, and he replied. "I think I might be able to spare some time for a duel."

Jaden was a little surprised that Viper had given in so easily. Before, he had resisted dueling with Jaden and made the conditions impossible. But he was just going to let it happen this time? Something was not right. Jaden tensed, on full guard. He watched Viper's every move warily, ready for an attack of any sort.

"I suppose that if we have a duel, then, there would be stakes involved?" The teacher queried as he slid down the side of the volcano, his boots dug deeply into the soil until he came to a stop at the base.

"Well, if I win, you have to stop hurting the students here and you have to tell us what's going on," Jaden remarked, crossing his arms over his chest.

"And if I win, you'll give me every last drop of your energy as a reward." Viper held up the odd-looking suitcase he had been holding, as though to emphasize some point of his. Of course, only he knew why this was pertinent.

"Fine. Just duel me." Jaden activated his duel disk and readied himself.

Walking a few yards away opposite Jaden, Viper agreed. "Very well." His smirk widened as he set his backpack and suitcase down, and activated his own duel disk.

Jaden was certain that he could beat Viper with minimal trouble. However, this proved to be harder than he had originally thought. Viper was no amateur. He knew very well what he was doing, and he was working his hardest to bring Jaden down. Not that Jaden minded too much. Even though the stakes were high, he enjoyed a good challenge. The danger was actually an added bonus. It filled him with a certain amount of thrill that nothing else could. Though he knew this could get him in trouble, it had not yet, so he did not worry much about it. He really should have.

It was about three turns into the duel when his friends finally showed up. He shot them grateful looks for showing him their support. Though, at the same time, he was concerned for their safety. True, there was safety in numbers, and he was glad they were there. He just hoped that he could keep them safe. However, he was mostly confident in this matter, and he seemed to have the upper hand. Besides, he had never failed them before, right? He sent an anxious glance over at them.

Viper noticed the way he kept looking over at his friends. Smirking as he drew a card, he remarked, "You grow too confident."

"There's nothing wrong with being sure of yourself," Jaden replied, frowning. No, Viper's mind tricks would not work on him. He was smarter than that. Or was he…?

"Do you really even care about their safety, then?" Viper asked, his smirk giving way to a cold glare, "After all, what sort of _friend_ would allow the ones he loved the most to follow him to hell? To place them in danger? What sort of friend are you, Jaden Yuki? All you ever cared about was the thrill of the duel. All you want is excitement. And you never cared who you put on the lines, just as long as you got that. Face it, you're _selfish_. In reality, all you care about is yourself. And the rest is a big show."

"That's not true at all!" Jaden exclaimed, "I care about my friends more than anything. The very reason I'm doing this right now is because of them! Sure, I love dueling almost more than anything else in this world and I do live for the excitement and fun of it, but I care about my friends too! I would never do anything to endanger them."

"Then what do you call this?" Viper sent him a pointed look, "You have a lot to learn. You're very immature for you age. You could never know the value of life until you've lost it. And then you realize that it can't be regained. Unlike dueling. You can regain something of yourself that you've lost. But you can never get back those that you've lost due to your foolishness. Don't you understand? Being selfish is being simple-minded and weak! Only the strong survive."

"And people without friends are strong?" Jaden raised an eyebrow. "Well, you can have your opinion. But I really do believe that having friends and your friends' support is what keeps someone strong. You really need to chill."

Viper scowled. "Your naïve attitude will soon change. You don't realize that dueling can't make everything all right. Sometimes the consequences will come about whether you win the duel or not. As in this duel…"

"What do you mean?!" Jaden asked, feeling the bubble of anxiety growing in his stomach. The thought of Jesse once more flashed through his mind.

"Well, you can't control the outcome as much as you think. You see, whether you win or lose, the cause that I've been working for will be accomplished. Maybe not right away, but it will happen."

"So you're saying that no matter what I can't stop you? That's not fair!" Jaden snapped.

"Life's unfair, as you will soon learn," Viper said grimly, "And there's not always something you can do to stop these things from happening. If you have to learn the hard way you will."

"But you've made it so you withheld information until after the duel started!" Syrus yelled from the sidelines, "And that's not fair at all!"

"Yeah," Hassleberry chimed in, "And we have no idea what you're up to! Tell us right now!"

"Do you think I'd be stupid enough to do that? No. I won't tell you anything. That's all I'm saying." Viper replied, his frown deepening. "Now, enough chatter. Let's get on with the duel."

"Oh, we'll get on with it all right," Jaden agreed, drawing a card, "But I'm not going to let you beat me that easily." No, he was more determined than ever to win.

The duel went on for awhile, and it seemed as though neither side were really prevailing at first. Until Viper played his infamous field spell. Jaden was more nervous than usual at this point, and was not really sure what he was going to do. A bead of sweat trailed down his cheek as he tried to think of a solution. The cards he was holding would do little good against what Viper had out on the field. It was almost as though his luck had run out. Which was why he had intellect to back him up.

His hand hovered over his deck as his turn came up, right before he drew. He knew that this last draw would be what it came down to. This last draw would determine the duel. But, even though that should have made him more anxious, it didn't. In fact, his confidence was boosted by the fact. Why? Because he stuck to his beliefs that the duel was not over until the last card was played. And he was about to turn things around. He just knew it.

Closing his eyes so he could relish in the suspense and the excitement, he drew. Slowly, he held the card up and opened his eyes, then grinned. It was just the card he needed. Pot of Greed.

"I play Pot of Greed and draw two cards." Jaden drew these cards as the spell card was destroyed, and looked at them, grinning wider. "Well, looks like your luck has run out and mine has taken a turn for the better!"

Viper looked skeptical. "I'll believe it when I see it."

"Ok, then. I guess you'll just have to see it." Jaden smirked as he placed a card on his duel disk. "First, I use Polymerization to fuse the Elemental Heroes Avian and Burstinatrix in my hand to create Flame Wingman (2100)!"

Viper seemed bored. "My Vennominaga has 2500 attack points. There's not much you can do."

"Really?" Jaden raised an eyebrow as he held the other card above the duel disk, "I think there is something, actually. I play the field spell Skyscraper! And you know what that means…"

Viper seemed dismayed as Venom Swamp was destroyed, being replaced by the tall buildings that rose out of the ground. "Well, that's still not going to help much."

"Nah, I think it helps just fine." Jaden tilted his head a little to one side and smirked again. "It raises my monster's attack points to 3100 since its attack points are lower than Vennominaga."

Viper still remained unfazed. He did not seem upset even when the green and red hero swooped down towards him, lifting its arm and shooting a stream of fire at his monster. It burst into fragments, having been destroyed.

"Oh, and don't forget the special effect," Jaden reminded him, "When your monster is destroyed, you take damage equal to its attack points."

"What?!" At this, Viper did seem upset. His eyes widened as the flame shot towards him, engulfing him.

Jaden gave his signature hand sign as Viper's life points dropped to zero. "And that's game!"

Viper did not reply. At first, Jaden thought that it was because he was upset. But, no, as he stood to his feet, a maniacal smirk spread across his features. "At least I got my goal accomplished anyway."

"Huh?" Jaden's brow furrowed in confusion. "What are you talking about?"

However, he did not get a chance to hear Viper's explanation. Within the next moment, a vibrant beam of golden light burst from the suitcase that lay nearby, and shot up towards the sky. Viper seemed pleased, until the light grew brighter and brighter, and began encroaching in his personal space. He tried to get away, but it was too late.

There was a loud explosion of light, temporarily blinding everyone. They heard Viper's scream briefly, then there was silence. As the light faded away, Jaden blinked and stepped closer towards the charred spot of grass that Viper had once been standing on. The teacher was no where to be found. Confused, he walked slowly over to the area, despite his friends' protests. Kneeling down in the grass, he tried to find some sort of clue.

A silver glint caught his eye. Leaning closer to the ground, he reached out and picked the object up, inspecting it. It was a bioband. The clasp was undone, indicating that it had fallen off. Frowning slightly, he stood up.

"Wonder what that was all about…" He muttered, walking back over to his friends.

Hearing a strange click, Jaden glanced down, and noticed that his own bioband had gotten loose. Confused, he watched as it unclasped and fell off of him, dropping to the ground. His friends all glanced at their own wrists as the stones glowed momentarily, then dropped to the ground in similar fashion.

"Well, _that_ was weird." Jaden laughed, not seeming to be bothered at all.

"You know what I think is weird?" Hassleberry asked.

"What?" Jaden blinked.

"Most of them time when you duel, these things make you pass out! But you're just fine, Sarge!"

"Huh?" Jaden scratched the back of his head, his eyes a little wide. "Well, you know what? You're right! Now that's really weird. Oh, well." He shrugged and held up two fingers, grinning widely. "Guess I just got lucky."

"I wouldn't call it luck, mate." Jim spoke up, stepping forward, "According to my readings, it seems as though a large amount of energy was amassed together from various parts of the school at that moment you defeated Viper. And it all gathered here."

"Must have been that burst of light," Hassleberry muttered, scratching his head. "But that still doesn't explain why we don't feel dizzy."  
"Simple," Jim answered, smiling, "Not enough energy was taken from just one person to make them feel dizzy. Instead, small amounts were taken from everyone, including Jaden. Unless he's just used to it."

Everyone glanced at Jaden, who just kept grinning.

"And I'm guessing the largest amount came from Viper, huh?" Syrus piped up, looking a little nervous. "Oh, man, whatever happened it can't be good."

"It never is, Private." Hassleberry sighed, hanging his head.

"I guess you're right." Syrus said grimly, looking down as well.

"Well, the good news is that we're rid of Viper," Jim pointed out, "And whatever happened just now doesn't seem to be taking effect just yet. So I say we have some time to recover from this all. Though, keep your eyes peeled."

Everyone nodded, looking thoughtful.

"In the meantime, I got to go take Shirley someplace quiet where she can calm down. But I'll keep you posted if anything, er, unusual happens. G'day, mates." Tipping his hat, he walked away, occasionally patting the crocodile on the head.

There was a small pause as everyone thought about what had just happened. Then, Jaden slapped himself on the forehead. "Oh, geez, how dumb can I be? I forgot about Jesse!"

"That's not very nice, Jay." Syrus remarked, "He wasn't in that great of a condition when we left him…"

Jaden's eyes widened a bit. "Well, he'll have to pull through! He has to if I'm there. Gah! I'm coming, Jesse!" He shouted, and took off running, leaving the others behind in a trail of dust.

"Well, that went well," Syrus said sarcastically.

"Yeah, he plumb forgot us." Hassleberry groaned.

"Oh, well, that's Jaden."

"I guess so."

The two headed off towards the Slifer dorm to wait for Jaden's return. After all, if he was going to see Jesse, then they figured that they would not want to be there to watch. It was going to be a long wait.

* * *

Jaden panted as he burst in through the infirmary's door suddenly. He had run the entire way, and even though he was in good shape, he was a little winded. "I'm…here…Jess…Sorry…" He glanced up for the first time since he'd been running, expecting to see his boyfriend hooked up to a thousand strange machines, half-dead. What he saw though, was more of a shock then what he had imagined. "J-Jesse?!"

"Hey, there, Jay!" Jesse greeted him with a huge smile and a wave, sitting up on the bed cross-legged. He had his cards spread out in front of him, and Ms. Fountaine was looking very tired. She wasn't the only one looking tired though. Chazz, who was still sitting by Alexis' bedside, had his head down and was fast asleep. Well, who could blame him? He'd been up for several nights in a row fretting over her.

"You're Ok!" Jaden exclaimed joyfully. "Man, was I worried! I thought something really awful had happened to you by the way that Syrus was talking."

"Ah, you know the little guy. He's so melodramatic." Jesse laughed, rubbing the back of his hair. "I'm just fine. Just got a little worn out back there. But I'm Ok!" He gave Jaden a thumbs-up.

"I don't see how you boys do it," Ms. Fountaine groaned, "So much energy! You both should still be bedridden!"

"Nah," Jaden said, flopping down on the edge of the bed, "You should know better than that by now. We're pretty tough."

Shaking her head, Ms. Fountaine sighed. "Well, you sure have proven it." She stood up, grabbing a folder off her desk. "Listen, you two, I have to run a few files down by the front office and speak with the Chancellor. I'll be back in a few minutes. Let me know if anyone comes in and needs me, Ok?"

They just nodded and watched her leave, closing the door behind her. Then, they glanced at each other. A few moments of silence elapsed while they stared into each others' eyes, not really sure of what to say. The silence was not uncomfortable, though.

"So…" Jaden paused to gather his thoughts, then continued, settling himself amongst the pillows and gazing up at Jesse. "When do you think you can escape?"

"Hmm, maybe tonight." Jesse smirked at him, easing himself down on the bed to lie next to Jaden. He rested his head on the same pillow Jaden was using, moving his face so close to the brunet's that their noses brushed. "I hope I can get out before tonight. I have things to do, you know?"

"Yeah…" Jaden's voice shook a little and he grinned despite himself. It wasn't that he didn't like being so close to Jesse, it was just the way that the other was looking at him…

"Jaden…" Jesse took his hands, lacing his fingers with the brunet's and gazing into his eyes, his expression growing a bit more serious. Yet, his eyes still retained some of the playful sparkle.

"Y-Yeah?" Jaden swallowed hard, gripping Jesse's hands tightly.

"If I do get out tonight…do you want to try something else?" Tilting his head a bit to one side, Jesse looked hopeful.

Jaden hesitated as he thought about this. Jesse felt a little worried at the sight of him tensing up like that, but he remained hopeful. Giving Jaden a reassuring smile, he just patiently waited for the other's response.

"Well…" Jaden looked up at the ceiling, as though in thought.

Jesse's smile wavered slightly. He told himself that no matter what, he would wait for Jaden. But he had been waiting so long…At least, that was what it felt like. He feared that if he were made to wait much longer, he wouldn't be able to stand it anymore. Of course, this was not true. He wouldn't do anything to hurt Jaden.

"Ehhh…" Jaden glanced back down at him, and noticed his pained and worried expression. Smiling weakly, he nodded. "Ok. I guess it wouldn't hurt."

Letting out his held breath, Jesse sighed in relief. "Thanks, Jay. I promise you won't regret it."

Jaden laughed nervously. "Well, I don't know about that. I guess we'll just have to wait and see."

This comment made Jesse feel alarmed. Did Jaden not want to do anything with him? Was he only doing it to humor him? That was the last thing he wanted. He only would do it if Jaden wanted to do it too. "Um, you don't have to if you don't want to," Jesse found himself babbling, "I mean, really, all you have to do is tell me. And I'll back off! I promise! I don't want you to do anything you're not ready for. It's just that I thought that maybe we should take our relationship—"

"Jesse!" Jaden put a finger to his lips, silencing him before he could get anymore upset. "Come on. Believe it or not, I actually _do_ want this as much as you do. After all, I heard Atticus talking about it the other day and he said—"

"Please spare me the details." Jesse grimaced slightly. "But if you say you're ready for it, I'll jus' have to take your word for it." He grinned sheepishly, ruffling Jaden's hair.

"Well, I'm not sure if I'm ready for the whole thing," Jaden sighed, "And I really don't know that much about it. Only what Atticus talked to me about when he cornered me…But I think I can give a little more a shot. I'm ready to try more with you. And if I like it, then I'll go all the way." He beamed, trying to reassure Jesse.

"Ok…if you say so." Jesse paused as he took this information in. Jaden had him worried, then. If Jaden didn't know what he was doing, then someone would have to show him. Someone had to take the lead. But he didn't know what to do either! Well, he had an _idea_ of where to start but he was worried that he'd either hurt the Slifer, or he would make a fool of himself. He wanted it to be a pleasant experience for both of them. He glanced up at Jaden worriedly.

Part of him wanted for them to find it out on their own. But part of him wanted to know what to do first. Especially if he was going to have to take the lead. It was beginning to seem that it would be that way the first time, since Jaden didn't seem as interested as he was. Of course, he would ask Jaden…provided that the boy actually knew what he meant. But if he was going to take the lead, then he thought he'd better have some basic idea of what he was supposed to do. That made him really think…should he ask someone about it?

He figured they wouldn't go all the way that night, so he decided to ask Atticus about it later. Atticus probably had some tips that he could use. He just wouldn't ask him to tell all. Yeah…that was the ticket. If he just asked a _little_ information, that wasn't like cheating or anything. He would still get to find out most on his own _and_ he would spare himself and Jaden from pain and humiliation. Perfect.

Of course, then again, Jaden would probably just laugh and blow it off if anything stupid did happen. Realizing that he was worrying about this too much, Jesse tried to push it from his mind. Still…he would like to know a little bit. Just so he wouldn't hurt Jaden at least. He wasn't sure what approach they should take, but he knew whatever way they decided, it had to be one that was not going to hurt anyone in any sort of way.

Right?

That was impossible. _Something_ was bound to happen no matter what they did. He would just have to suck it up.

Coming back to reality, Jesse realized that Jaden had been waving his hand in front of his face for the past five minutes, calling his name. And he had been zoning out, staring straight ahead with glazed-over eyes. He figured he must have looked like a zombie.

"Jesse? Jesse? Helloooo, Jesse?" Jaden blinked, looking a little concerned.

"Huh?" Jesse finally dragged his eyes away from the spot of nothing he'd been focusing on and looked into Jaden's chocolate eyes.

"Oh, good, you didn't die or fall asleep with your eyes open," Jaden sighed in relief, "Sheesh, I've been trying to get your attention for the past five minutes."

"I know," Jesse said sheepishly, "I'm sorry. I was thinking."

Jaden nodded understandingly. "I know. It happens to me too. Especially in Dr. Crowler's class."

Laughing softly, Jesse propped himself up on an elbow. "You do that in every class, don't you?"

"Actually…yes." Jaden replied, "Unless you count lunch as a class."

Shaking his head, Jesse sat up all the way and stretched, then gathered his cards up from the bedspread and put them back in order. Jaden leaned on his elbows and watched him, strangely quiet. Even though the topic had been changed on the outside, Jesse knew that Jaden was still thinking about what he'd said. He was still thinking about it too. And he was wishing that he could get out of that infirmary right then and there.

"When is Ms. Fountaine going to ever come back?" Jesse groaned, putting his deck on the bedside table. "I'm ready to get out of here."

"Yeah," Jaden stared down at the bedspread, tracing circles on it with his finger. He seemed to be paying only half-attention to what was going on.

There were a few moments of silence between them as they waited for Ms. Fountaine to return. It felt like forever even though it wasn't really that long. Though, they really didn't have to say anything to communicate. They just sort of looked at each other as the minutes ticked by, understanding what the other was feeling. Jesse knew that Jaden was getting impatient, and he was too.

Finally, Jesse just lay back against the pillows again, bored. He decided to go to sleep until Ms. Fountaine decided to come back…if she ever did of course. He settled down amongst the pillows and sighed heavily. All he wanted to do was go off and have some private time with Jaden. If he would ever be granted that time, of course. Yawning, he shut his eyes and tried to force himself to sleep.

Feeling something warm pressing against his body, he cracked one eye open to see Jaden snuggled up against his side. He smiled slightly and draped an arm around Jaden's shoulders. The brunet laid his head on Jesse's shoulder, gripping his sleeve a little. Neither was really in the mood to sleep after what had been brought up, but it was a way to make the time go by faster. And perhaps if he rested, then Ms. Fountaine would be more willing to let him out sooner. Otherwise, he would have asked Jaden to duel him. But that was what had landed him there in the first place, so he supposed it would have to wait for awhile.

Thankfully, sleeping was a favorite pastime of Jaden's. Within five minutes, he was out of it, contentedly smiling as he dreamed. Of dueling, no doubt. Jesse could not help but smile down at the sleeping boy. Leaning over, he brushed some hair out of the other's face, and touched his lips gently to Jaden's forehead. The Slifer's smile grew as Jesse did this, and he snuggled closer to him, muttering something about his duel monsters in his sleep.

Heaving a shuddering sigh, Jesse leaned back and tried to get his mind off of his desires. It was going to be awhile. He needed to relax just like Jaden was. It wasn't that hard. It was mind over matter. If he could just get to sleep…But the more he tried, the harder it was. He just needed to get his mind off of it. If only he could…He tried thinking about dueling for awhile, and he succeeded in focusing on that because it was of true interest to him. Finally, he managed to get into a light state of sleep, though he was somewhat aware of what went on around him.

When Ms. Fountaine finally did get back, it was dusk, and the sunset was painting the clouds various shades of pink and purple. Her entrance into the room woke Jesse up immediately, and he sat up, blinking and looking slightly groggy. Seeing that she had finally returned, he became more alert, and watched her with hopeful eyes. She glanced over at him in dismay.

"What is it now?" She sighed wearily.

"Can I please go back to my dorm? I'm fine now, really." He begged, looking at her with pleading eyes.

She glanced at him for a moment, then sighed again. "Let me make sure you're all right first. If you are, then I'll let you go. But if you're not…" She trailed off, and went over to the bed.

She examined him for several minutes, then glanced down at her clipboard. Finally, she nodded. "Well, you seem to be just fine. Amazing recovery. But I guess that I shouldn't have expected anything else. Anyway, you may leave. Just…be careful, Ok?"

Jesse nodded eagerly, jumping off the bed and grabbing his deck. "Yes, I will be! Thanks!"

She watched him carefully as he shook Jaden to wake him up, then headed back over to her desk and sat down to look over some new files she'd received. Jaden did not wake too easily, so Jesse had to shake him several times and call his name before it finally registered. Only because it was him, though. Anyone else he would have ignored so he could keep sleeping.

"Come on, Jay!" Jesse prodded, grabbing his hand and tugging at it, "We can leave now."

Mumbling something under his breath, as he was still half asleep, Jaden reluctantly rose from the warm comfy bed and followed Jesse towards the door. Jesse kept a tight grip on his wrist and dragged him out into the hallway, ignoring the look that Ms. Fountaine sent him. He knew that she was worried about his health but…he knew he would be just fine.

Though, he did strain himself a bit by dragging Jaden back towards the dorms. He would have taken Jaden to their Slifer room had he not known that Hassleberry and Syrus were going to be there. And he really wanted some alone time with him. They could talk to their friends later. For the time being, he just wanted to get in some _them_ time. They had not been able to really have much time to themselves since the whole Viper fiasco had started and since exams of course. Not to mention he had been kind of ignoring Jaden. He felt bad about it. So he was determined to repay the other. That was why he took him back to his room at the Obelisk dorm. So they could have some alone time.

By the time they stepped into the room, Jaden had woken up fully, much to Jesse's relief. He glanced over at Jesse and smirked a little as he closed the door behind them, locking it. "So…um…what did you have in mind?"

Jesse gulped a little at the sight of Jaden's smirk. Well, at least he was good-natured about this. He seemed to have gotten more comfortable about the idea, and seemed playful too. Maybe he had given it some thought and decided he wanted it just as badly as Jesse did. "Well, I'm not really sure. I guess we'll just go with it."

Not really sure about it? Ha, that was an understatement. He'd had _plenty_ of time to think about it. The problem was, too many things were running through his mind. He couldn't choose just one of them.

"Hm, I guess we should take a bath first," Jaden remarked, "You know, just to relax."

Jesse nodded feebly. Relaxing was the last thing on his mind. He wanted to go ahead and try the ideas that were floating around in his mind. But Jaden had other ideas. If Jesse didn't know any better, he could have sworn that Jaden was teasing him. Wait…maybe he was…

Taking him by the hands, Jaden dragged him into the bathroom, grinning. Jesse could only follow, gripping his hands tightly as he trembled a little. "I'm getting a strange sense of déjà vu here," He muttered.

"Huh?" Jaden cocked his head a bit to one side, arching and eyebrow and placing one hand on his hip. "Oh, come on, did you really think I was going to let this be a repeat of last time?"

"What do you mean?" Jesse asked, confused.

Jaden sighed and shook his head. "Well, let's just put it this way, I'll let you do more than last time, Ok?"

"Really?" Jesse blinked, surprised, "So…where is the line drawn?"

"I don't know," Jaden replied, shrugging, "Wherever. Whatever I feel like, I guess. I mean, I don't want to be acting like I'm completely in control. So…I'm going to trust you to decide where to draw that line." He smiled slightly, then bent over and turned the water on a little to start slowly filling the tub.

Jesse shifted uncomfortably from one foot to the other. If he were Jaden, he wouldn't trust himself with that. He watched as the other turned around, and walked over to him, looking curious. He gave Jaden a questioning look.

Jaden, being the bold one he was, didn't bother to ask. Instead, he reached out and took hold of Jesse's vest, pulling it off and throwing it aside before grabbing onto his shirt as well. Jesse's eyes widened slightly as this gesture.

"Jaden? What are you—"

Blinking in that 'innocent' way he did, Jaden asked, "What, do you not want me to do this?"

"No, no, no!" Jesse answered quickly, "I'm just surprised. That's all."

Jaden shrugged and continued the task he'd started. He pulled off Jesse's shirt, though he did this more slowly. Blushing, Jesse allowed it, though he hoped he was going to get the same privilege as well. For a moment, Jaden hesitated, only stared at him. Then, he gently reached out and placed his hand against Jesse's bare chest. Shivering, Jesse placed his hand over Jaden's, though it was not a gesture of restraint. Slowly, Jaden ran his palm over the heated skin, moving it lower to his abdomen, then stopping.

Jesse bit his lip to hold back the words that were on the tip of his tongue. He felt like telling Jaden that he could go lower if he wanted, but he thought Jaden should go at his own pace. He didn't want to seem desperate either. And he most certainly didn't want to seem like a jerk. So, he just let Jaden explore unrestrained.

"You can undress me, too, you know," Jaden said after a moment, running his hand down until he touched the rim of Jesse's pants.

Blushing again, Jesse nodded. "Ok…if you say so. Just let me know if you want me to stop. Because I don't want to hurt you or anything." He reached up and fondled Jaden's cheek, looking him directly in the eyes. "I've already hurt you enough by ignoring you. I still feel bad for that."

"Don't worry about it," Jaden murmured, leaning closer in Jesse's face as he toyed with his belt buckle, his eyes never once straying from the other's, "That's in the past and I don't like to live in the past."

Jesse gulped again as he felt the buckle being undone, knowing what was coming next. He forced his own arms up and tugged at Jaden's jacket before dropping it to the floor, all the while leaning in closer. Closing his eyes half way, he indulged in the feeling of Jaden so close to him, and the sensation of Jaden's warm breathing on his mouth. It made him want to lean in and close the space between them in a kiss right away, but he was saving that for the right moment. So, he returned his attention to pulling up Jaden's shirt.

Jaden undid the button on Jesse's pants then unzipped them slowly, leaning even closer. Feeling his heart pounding at a dizzying rate, Jesse backed up against the wall for support without really noticing it. Jaden only continued in his task, pulling Jesse's pants down slowly and letting their lips touch lightly. Unable to refrain, the teal-haired duelist let his hands wander up the other's shirt, exploring the skin underneath. He got a pleasant shiver out of Jaden from this, and the other pulled away momentarily to allow Jesse to slip the unwanted shirt over his head.

"Jay," Jesse panted, turning his head to the side as Jaden leaned in to kiss him again, "Aren't you afraid we're going to go too far if we keep this up?"

Jaden shook his head. "No. If it happens, then it does. And if we do it, we're ready. And if we're ready, then it's not too far." He smiled at his reasoning.

Jesse could not help but return the warm smile. "If you say so…"

A moment was spent searching each others' eyes. Then, Jaden leaned down slowly, gently brushing his lips to Jesse's neck. Jesse stiffened, trying to hold back the shiver that ran up and down his spine. Moving slowly as well, he reached out and unbuckled Jaden's belt, then pressed his finger against the button of his jeans, undoing them. Jaden continued to softly kiss his neck as Jesse tugged at the zipper, then eased the jeans down. Casually, Jaden kicked the jeans off, leaving them in their underwear. Jesse's face turned red as he glanced down.

He just could not help himself when he saw Jaden like that. He brought the other close in his arms and pressed him against his rapidly beating heart. A light blush graced Jaden's cheeks, but he seemed perfectly fine other than that. Smiling, he embraced Jesse as well, laying his face on the other's shoulder. Jesse hugged him tighter, closing his eyes and burying his nose in Jaden's silky brown hair.

"This is kind of nice," Jaden remarked, squeezing Jesse tighter. "I like it."

Just what Jesse had been thinking, only, he was not quite as bold as Jaden. Grinning, he just nodded his agreement and rubbed the Slifer's bare back, loving the way it felt under his exploring fingertips.

Shivering under Jesse's featherlike touches, Jaden clung to him a little more, and reached down to grab the waistband of his underwear. Jesse froze and looked down at him uncertainly.

"Are you sure you want to do this? I mean, I'm Ok with it…" He trailed off. Even though Jaden seemed all right, he wanted to make absolutely sure that he wanted this.

"Of course," He replied, smirking, "Unless you want to back out." His expression fell a little at this.

"No, I don't. I was just making sure." Oh, he really didn't want to back out. That was one of the last things he wanted.

Without responding, Jaden began to pull his underwear down. Jesse gripped him tightly, squeezing his eyes shut as he felt himself being revealed to the other boy little by little. Before he knew it, his underwear was around his ankles. He kicked it off before tending to Jaden.

"You sure you don't mind me undressing you?" Jesse asked, just to make sure. He was really nervous about this, especially the thought of making Jaden uncomfortable.

Jaden gave him a strange look. "Of course not! You've been doing it this whole time."

Jesse blushed a little darker as he nodded and took hold of Jaden's underwear. Gradually, he pulled it down, though he kept his gaze fixed on Jaden the whole time. Jaden's face turned a little pink at this, but he did not seem fazed other than that. Slowly, Jesse brought Jaden closer to his body again, and held him, though he was careful not to hold him too close. Bringing his hand up to the back of Jaden's hair, he stroked it gently, entangling his fingers in it. Then, he leaned down and kissed the top of Jaden's head.

"Hmm," Jaden toyed with some of the hair that hung around Jesse's face, looking thoughtful, "This isn't so bad. I think I could get used to it."

"Well, glad you think so. I like it." Jesse smiled down at him, finally allowing himself to admit how he felt about it.

"I think we should go ahead and get our bath, though," Jaden remarked, stepping back.

Jesse looked the other way, a little unsure if he could look directly at him. "Ok, if that's what you want."

"You can look at me if you want, you know." Jaden informed him, turning off the faucet to the tub and stepping in, "I don't mind."

Jesse nodded and brought his gaze up to look at Jaden. Immediately, heat flushed his cheeks. He couldn't stop staring at him for several moments. He'd always imagined the moment, but had not really been prepared for what it would really be like. Mesmerized, he stepped over to the tub and slipped in very slowly next to the brunet.

"It's nice to be able to relax," Jaden sighed, sinking lower in the hot water, "Especially when we finally get to be together for a bit."

"Yeah," Jesse agreed, moving closer to Jaden, "It's been crazy even up until today."

"And it probably will get crazier later," Jaden laughed, "So we might as well enjoy the time we have while we have it."

Nodding, Jesse slipped his arms around the Slifer. "I don't care," He said breathlessly, "I just want to be with you."

Jaden leaned back into the embrace, allowing the other to nuzzle him affectionately. He turned and gave Jesse a small kiss on the lips, then tucked his head under the other's chin. Lazily, he stretched his legs out, and draped them over Jesse's. This caused the other boy to blush profusely, but he was not able to find the words to tell him to stop. Not that he really wanted him to stop anyway. This all was just too much fun. He didn't want it to stop.

He found his hands had taken a mind of their own, and were wandering down lower on Jaden's abdomen. Jaden caught his hand before it went too far down, and looked him right in the eyes. For a moment, Jesse felt his heart leap into his throat, as he wondered if he had done something wrong. But then he heard Jaden's words and felt a small bit of relief.

"Not now, Jess. Later. I'll let you later. Ok? Just wait a few minutes." He offered his boyfriend a warm smile.

Jesse nodded weakly and withdrew his hand. Deciding to do something productive, he grabbed a bottle of shampoo and began to scrub his own hair. He had only been doing this for about a minute when Jaden took his hands away and began doing it for him. Jesse shivered vigorously at Jaden's touch. Squeezing his eyes shut, he leaned his head back and just enjoyed the sensation.

"I'll take care of all this for you," Jaden offered, "And then you can wash me." He pecked Jesse on the cheek, then nuzzled his neck affectionately. "And then we can go to bed."

Jesse shivered when Jaden mentioned bed. He was _really_ anticipating that. But he knew that they weren't going to go as far as he would have liked. Oh, well. Anything was good, so long as it was with Jaden. For the time being, he just contented himself with leaning back against the brunet, and letting him run his fingers through his hair.

After a few minutes of silent scrubbing, Jaden surprised him by dunking his head suddenly under the water. He came back up quickly, gasping for breath and coughing a little, his wet hair plastered to his face.

"Sorry," Jaden said sheepishly as he began to wash the rest of Jesse's body.

Jesse soon forgot about it when Jaden began to run the washcloth over him. No, he wasn't going to complain at all. Why? Because this treatment was just too lovely. He felt lazy, then, since Jaden was doing the washing for him and all he had to do was sit back in the hot water and relax. Though, halfway through it, he wondered to himself if he should wash Jaden as well. After all, he needed some repayment for what he was doing. So, sitting up a little straighter, he began to gently wash the other's hair.

They were quiet as they washed each other, each to his own thoughts. It wasn't until both were done that anything was said. They stared at each other momentarily, then, Jaden drew closer to him and looked curious.

"So, what are we going to do now?" He asked, blinking.

Jesse mulled over this for a moment, then surprised Jaden by grabbing him in a bear hug and holding him close. "Well," He whispered in Jaden's ear, "I guess we can get out and go to bed now."

A slow grin spread across Jaden's face. "That's exactly what I was thinking."

They two boys grinned and stared at each other, their eyes sparkling in mischief. Oh, they were going to have fun all right. Maybe they would get nervous, but Jaden was giving him that ever so playful look of his that meant everything would be all right no matter what. He wouldn't let them get uncomfortable. Jesse figured that Jaden had some plans for him, and he was willing to go along with whatever they were.

Jaden got out of the tub and snatched a towel, drying himself off as he walked into the other room, looking over his shoulder at Jesse every then and again. Jesse could only follow his lead, as he had been given no other choice. Well, maybe this wouldn't be so uncomfortable after all. They were getting accustomed to things like this. And all the awkwardness had washed away. Swallowing hard, he tried to ignore how hard his heart was thumping in anticipation, and how the excitement rose from the pit of his stomach. Soon, he told himself…very soon. He had a feeling that they would be going very far that night. Question was, would they go all the way?

* * *

**A/N: 8D Feel free to kill me now. HAHA I'm a tease. XPP …Ok, I'm rly sorry, guys. It's just the chapter was getting out of hand. It was so long. Srsly. I promise that next chapter will complete the scene that was started here. I PROMISE. D8 I know that the ending of this chapter had little to do with the beginning, but the beginning has a lot to do with what happens later so…yeah. And it all will connect in the end, you'll see. Anyway, sorry it was so long but I don't think you'll complain TOO much about this one. Hahaha! You don't know what's happening next chapter! LOL**


	9. Chapter 9

**A/N: Ok, I know that I teased y'all last chapter. I'm sorry about that. But it WAS too long. D: And I was tired. XD Anyway, here's the second part of the scene. Don't keeeeel me! XDD**

**Disclaimer: I does nawt own GX. C:**

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Chapter 9:

Jesse pushed Jaden down to the bed, causing the springs to creak loudly in protest. Jaden grinned, his face turning red at the action. For a moment, he lay there with his dark hair spread across the snowy pillow like a fan. Then, he gently pushed Jesse away from him, so he could have some room to sit up straight.

Jesse looked at him questioningly. Why was he sitting up all of the sudden? He was a little disappointed, but supposed it didn't really matter in the end. If Jaden wanted to take it slow, then he'd be happy with it. He'd be happy with anything the brunet gave him. Though, he had to admit, he'd be a little miffed if the other boy just dropped everything and walked away.

"I hope you don't mind," Jaden muttered, leaning over and taking Jesse's cheek in his hand before kissing his lips.

In response, the teal-haired duelist closed his eyes and reciprocated the pressure. He silently pondered everything as he and Jaden kissed. Then, leaning back, he stared into the Slifer's rich chocolate eyes. "I don't mind. In fact, I'm kind of glad you care enough to take it slow," He admitted.

It was true. As much as he'd have liked to have gone all the way immediately, it would have left him feeling a little strange. He supposed it was better in the end to go about it in this way.

"Ah, good," Jaden's facial features drooped in relief, and a contented smile tugged his lips upwards. "Though, I don't mean to make you miserable by teasing you too much." He leaned over and once again captured Jesse's lips in a kiss.

By then, Jesse was feeling a little dizzy. He kept his hands firmly planted in the mattress, watching Jaden's every move. Every then and again his gaze would drop down…lower…but he tried to keep his eyes on the other's face as much as possible. It was appreciated, of course.

Slowly, Jaden crawled over to him, tilting his head a little to one side. He looked off to the side, as though in deep thought. Then, seeming to have made a decision, he climbed onto Jesse's lap, placing one leg on either side of him. He took care not to sit too close. In fact, he only perched himself on the other boy's knees. But it caused Jesse's face to go all red anyway.

"J-Jaden…" He gasped, licking his lips nervously, "Are you sure?"

"Yeah," Jaden said, a little quieter than usual.

This worried Jesse. Was Jaden really all right with this? Or was he having second thoughts? Jesse pushed Jaden's chin up with a finger, forcing him to look up. Dark brown met a dazzling sea green gaze. Jaden caught his breath in his throat at the sight.

"Are you sure?" Jesse repeated, watching his face carefully.

Nodding, Jaden replied, "Of course I am!" He clasped his arms around the transfer student's neck, before pressing their foreheads together. "I love you…" He whispered, another smile twitching at the edge of his mouth.

Unable to resist, Jesse kissed the corner of his mouth. Jaden blushed, but kept grinning in that same self-assured way he did. Seeing that the other did rather seem all right with it, Jesse relaxed. "I love you too," He murmured, gently touching his thumb to Jaden's silky cheek, "but I don't know how far to go."

"Like I said before, we'll do whatever comes naturally to us. Don't worry. We'll both know when the time's right." Jaden gave his neck a little squeeze, as though to reassure him.

"If you say so…" Jesse reluctantly agreed, though he silently wondered to himself, _"But where do I start?"_ He looked at Jaden for some indication.

Jaden gave no indication other than to move up a little farther on Jesse's lap. The teal-haired duelist's face burned, his eyes fixated on Jaden's hips. He wanted…to touch…every bit of Jaden…so badly. Perhaps it was all right to do so then. After all, Jaden had told him he could later and it was later at that moment.

Pushing away any qualms he had about it, Jesse placed a hand on Jaden's stomach before moving it slowly down. He watched in delight as the brunet shivered violently at the contact, growing visibly more aroused. He felt his own arousal ache and throb a little more, and silently wished that Jaden would tend to it. But, he said nothing about it, just tried to keep it slow as Jaden had wanted.

His hand fell under Jaden's waist, so close to that once forbidden area that he was almost touching it. Glancing up into Jaden's eyes, he noticed that they were hazed over in want. This was all the encouragement he needed. He moved his hand a little more down, and felt the tip brush against his palm.

The sensation of bare skin brushing against that previously untouched part of him was almost too much for the brunet to bear. His eyes widened slightly and he parted his lips as though to speak. Only, nothing came out but a soft groan. When Jesse moved his hand over it again, it sent such a shock of heated pleasure up his spine. He clung to his boyfriend's neck tightly, pressing his forehead harder against the other's and closing his eyes. His breaths began to come in faster puffs on Jesse's face.

The Crystal Beast duelist really liked how it was making Jaden react. He kept running his sweaty palm slowly over the tip, in a circular motion, watching as Jaden's brow crinkled in passion and pleasure. He smiled to himself as he carefully grasped his fingers around the head of it, and gave a gentle squeeze.

"Is this Ok?" He asked, his eyes half-closing and gleaming in the dark, "Or do you want me to stop?" He was part teasing, part serious.

Jaden glanced up to meet his gaze. His face was already flushed, his hair sticking to his forehead. Swallowing hard, he tried to comprehend the question and respond. "Um…yeah…it's…fine…"

Jesse paused for a moment, leaning his face closer into Jaden's. The Slifer looked at him curiously and opened his mouth, but Jesse gave him no time to speak. Instead, he pressed his lips to Jaden's, then again, and again. He finally began to run his fingers up and down Jaden's length again, melting their mouths together and forcing his tongue in. Jaden moaned against the wet muscle probing his mouth; his body began to tremble. Feeling this combined with Jaden's throbbing member in his hand and his bare skin, Jesse almost lost it.

"Jaden…" He whined, unable to help himself. He buried his face in the brunet's neck, kissing it and running the tip of his tongue up and down it. "Oh…God…please…" His words were almost incomprehensible due to the ragged breaths that separated them.

"You need me?" Jaden asked, gingerly brushing his lips to Jesse's slightly parted ones.

"Yeah…" Jesse breathed, allowing their lips to bump again.

Grinning weakly, Jaden put his hand on Jesse's chest. He couldn't help but laugh at the way the other violently shivered in response. A glare was sent in his direction. Jesse did not appreciate him being such a tease when he was in so much _pain_. And Jaden knew he was…That was just plain _cruel_.

Even worse, Jaden did not tend to the neglected area right away. Instead, he took his time tracing designs around Jesse's nipples, purposely avoiding touching them directly. It was almost too much to bear. Maybe he was in the mood for playing around and Jesse hadn't minded it at first, but by this point, he just wanted to be taken care of. He gave Jaden pleading eyes.

"You can be so mean," He groaned, dropping his chin almost to his chest and panting.

"I'll make up for it!" Jaden insisted, nuzzling the teal-haired duelist's neck.

He finally let his fingertips brush against Jesse's nipples. He arched into the touch, letting his head tilt back slightly. Jaden rubbed them for a few minutes, increasing the pace steadily. The friction caused them to harden quickly, and served only to arouse him further. And Jaden only made it even worse when he leaned down and dragged his tongue across them, leaving a wet trail of saliva across Jesse's chest.

"Ah! Jaden!" Jesse squeezed his eyes shut and began to rub Jaden's erection faster, as though it would somehow relieve his own.

This freaked Jaden out a little. He gripped Jesse's wrist, stopping him, and looked at him with concerned eyes. "That feels really good," He told Jesse, "But I don't want to go too fast. I'm sorry I'm teasing you. I don't entirely mean it like that…I just want to experiment and get comfortable doing these kinds of things with you. If you can't handle it…please let me know so we can stop." His dark brown eyes searched Jesse's mint ones, serious for once.

Blushing in embarrassment, Jesse nodded feebly. He hadn't been able to control himself, had he? He had just assumed it would be all right… "I'm sorry," He muttered, his eyes dropping.

"It's Ok," Jaden assured him, pecking him on the lips, "I just want to make sure that you'll be able to hold back if I…return the favor...even if it's only a little bit, I want you to be able to handle it."

Jesse nodded again, finding that all his energy had been drained out of him. It was taking a lot of self-control. "I understand. I'll do my best."

"Ok…" Jaden hesitated, then continued. "I'll trust you."

Even though Jaden wasn't sure, he wanted to continue anyway, and he did want to return the favor. He knew that Jesse would stop if he said to. So, he moved his hand slowly down Jesse's body, from his chest to his stomach and gradually lower. His hand stopped and hovered over Jesse's member, as though he were trying to decide whether or not it was time yet. Just _seeing_ this made the North Academy student's heart nearly leap out of his chest. His eyes widened slightly, his breaths coming faster. Slowly, Jaden curled his fingers around it, holding loosely.

Unable to suppress it, a little moan escaped Jesse's lips. His face flushed as Jaden gripped more firmly and confidently. The two glanced up into each other's eyes for assurance, then, Jaden began to move his hand up and down Jesse's length. A few strangled moans were released on Jesse's behalf, and he was momentarily unable to focus on anything but the sparking pleasure he was receiving. It finally dawned on him that he was still holding Jaden's member. Deciding that it was all right to stimulate him again, he began to move his hand almost in time with Jaden's.

As they did this, they each sunk into a one-armed embrace, their bodies melting together. They kept their foreheads pressed closely together, their eyes locked. Jaden moved up closer on Jesse's lap so that their erections were almost touching. He clung tighter to the teal-haired's neck, kissing him gently every so often on the lips.

"Un, Jaden," Jesse squeezed his eyes shut again, his breaths leaving his body in painfully harsh gasps, "This feels so good…I love you…so much…"

"I…love you…too…" Jaden panted, moving his hand faster along Jesse's length.

"I want…more…so…bad…" Jesse admitted, swallowing hard, "Oh, God, I can't stand it…"

He crashed his lips to Jaden's in a searing kiss, holding him tighter around the neck and entangling his long fingers in the dark locks. The two boys engaged in the passionate kiss, their tongues forcing their way into each other's mouths and battling. The two hot, wet muscles bumped and slid over each other, as their owners fought for dominance. Neither would relinquish and neither won. Nevertheless, Jesse was unknowingly leaning over further and further, causing them to finally topple over on the bed, Jaden on his back and Jesse over him.

"Oh…p-plea…se…" Jesse groaned, slightly turning his head so that he had broken the kiss. He ignored the string of saliva that fell against their cheeks. "I…need…Ah…"

He felt Jaden's hot, sweaty skin against his own, and felt the other's warm hair sticking to his cheek. He turned his head again to look into Jaden's chocolate eyes, his face still close enough for their noses to be touching.

"Please…let me…" He gasped, his eyes half-closing, "Please…let me…make…love to…you…" As he struggled to get the words out, he moved his hand slowly down from Jaden's length towards his bottom. "I need…to…please…do me…" All sense had been washed clean out of his head. He was not _thinking_ anymore. He was driven by passion, instinct, love, lust.

Jaden shivered vigorously when he felt Jesse's hand gently caressing the back of his leg. "I…I…"

Jesse did not give him a chance to finish. He shoved his mouth against the other's, hard. He let his tongue drift out and lick at the lips, his hand moving slowly in a circular motion on the other's bottom. After a moment, his hand moved again around to the inside of Jaden's leg, which he caressed with equal tenderness. Jaden moaned into the kiss, his eyes rolling back in his head.

Jesse just felt as though he were completely incapable of holding back any longer. He wanted to show his love for the brunet by going all the way. He found himself starting to lower down on top of Jaden and had just about lain all the way on him before the other grabbed his shoulders. The Slifer pulled his mouth from Jesse's and gave his shoulders a little push.

It took his hazed-over mind a moment to comprehend the action. Finally, it dawned on him that Jaden wanted him to sit up. He blinked and gazed down at the other, whose eyes were regarding him apologetically. Slowly, Jesse sat up, still in a daze. Jaden came up with him, and sat on his lap again, wrapping his arms around his neck.

Nothing was said. Jaden did not admonish him nor did he tell him to stop. He showed that it was all right by trailing a few open-mouthed kisses down Jesse's neck, and gently toying with his length again. It finally clicked in the teal-haired duelist's mind that Jaden was willing to do this much, but did not want to go all the way yet. His face flushed in embarrassment, and he carefully began stroking Jaden's length as well, mentally kicking himself. It was a wonder that Jaden was even letting him continue this at all!

Maybe, just maybe, Jaden wanted to give him another chance.

Several quiet moments passed as they took their time stroking each other. Soon, Jesse had forgotten about his embarrassment for the pleasure. Every time that Jaden's hand moved on him, his body involuntarily jolted, and small noises caught in his throat. It was aching a lot more, then, begging for release. And as Jaden's nimble fingers seemed to accidentally bump the most sensitive spots, Jesse began to find it difficult to focus on reeling himself in. His own strokes began to quicken again, causing Jaden to twitch and moan softly into his shoulder, where he had his face buried. Jesse smiled despite himself, finding the noises to be rather cute. He slipped his free arm around Jaden's back, placing his hand tenderly on the shoulder-blade and rubbing it lovingly. Leaning down, he kissed Jaden on the top of the head. He felt Jaden's lips against his skin as they curved into a smile. It made him happy to think that the brunet was content.

Unknowingly, he began to squeeze a little firmer. Not to the point that it would hurt. It was rather quite the opposite. Jaden twitched violently a few times, his moans growing a bit louder and more strangled. He leaned back in Jesse's arm, as though hardly able to hold himself up, and let his head loll from one side to the other. He seemed to be allowing himself to indulge in it, and Jesse was beginning to hope that maybe they would get somewhere with this. After all, Jaden was beginning to reciprocate the firm grasp and gentle pressure. The tight, knotted ball deep within him was beginning to get all the more uncomfortable, and he was anticipating the relief that was sure to come soon.

Just as he felt as though he hardly could stand it anymore, and just as he felt he might explode into Jaden's hand, the brunet stopped, and suddenly grasped Jesse's hand, preventing him from moving anymore. The two sat there, panting and covered in cold sweat, trembling vigorously. Jesse was inwardly pleading for Jaden to continue—he really did feel like he was about to die—but he knew better than to say anything. At the same time, he was a little concerned. Was something wrong? He tried to ignore the painful throbbing in his lower body.

"Are…" He took a moment to gulp air as he tried to regain control of his breathing and calm his heart rate down. "Are…you…Ok?"

Jaden kept looking down at their hands for a moment, his expression unreadable. His shaggy hair was sticking to his forehead and covering his face. And Jesse could not see his mouth because of the dark. He leaned in Jaden's face and nudged his forehead a little with his nose and mouth, as though he were both trying to force him to look up and trying to kiss him. Pulling back, he waited for a response, though he didn't really get one.

"Hey, Jaden…" Jesse bit his lip, patting him on the back a little, "Something…wrong?"

Jaden mumbled something and turned his head to the side, trying his best not to look at the other boy. By this point, Jesse was really getting worried. What could be wrong? Was it something he had done?

"What is it?" He pressed, tearing his wrist from Jaden's grasp so he could wrap both arms tightly around the brunet. He pressed the boy close to his chest, holding him in a secure embrace. Whatever it was, Jaden was obviously feeling bad. He really hoped he hadn't done anything wrong. All he could do was try to assure him.

Jaden leaned against Jesse for a moment, allowing the hug. Then, he slowly sat up and pushed Jesse's arms gently away. "I'm sorry," He mumbled, "I just…don't want to do this anymore."

Jesse blinked, surprised. "Why?!" It came out a little more upset than he had anticipated. He cringed inwardly.

Glancing over his shoulder with a regretful gaze, Jaden replied, "Because it doesn't feel right…not now…I did want to try that but I think we went a little too far." He rooted up under the covers and curled up a little, holding the blankets close to his lithe body as though to hide himself. Then, he finally admitted, "I'm sorry…I guess I'm just embarrassed." His dark eyes slid to the side again, his expression slightly reminiscent of a pout.

Jesse was silent for a moment as he took this information in. Then, he crawled over to Jaden, leaning over him slightly. "Hey, it's Ok. I understand. I'm just sorry that I kinda…forced myself on you."

Jaden glanced up at him, still looking troubled. "Yeah…you did. It's Ok. I just guess…I wasn't as ready as I thought I was. Now I feel bad." He buried his face in the blanket, not daring to meet Jesse's gaze. "I'm sorry," He mumbled into the sheets, "I really am. I'll be over it by tomorrow. I just…need some time to think right now. About everything."

"Well, Ok…" Jesse agreed reluctantly. He shifted slightly, then, asked uneasily, "Are you sure that's all? I mean, if you want to talk…" He bit his lip, trailing off.

"Maybe later," Jaden muttered, "I just want to go to sleep now."

"Ok…" Jesse was _really_ not liking the way this was going. He was getting this sick feeling in his stomach…and it was not just from being so worked up, either. "Do you want me to go away?"

"No," Jaden shook his head. "I want you to sleep with me. I'm not dropping you or anything. I just don't feel good."

"Um…Ok…"

Jesse slowly crawled under the covers and flopped down beside Jaden. He lay on his stomach, his cheek rested against his muscular arm, and looked at the boy next to him. Jaden kept his back to him, still curled up tightly. Jesse couldn't help but feel even worse seeing that. Not to mention awkward. Feeling a little melancholy and worried that he might've chased Jaden off, he snuggled up against the other's warm back and sighed heavily. He noticed that Jaden stiffened at the initial contact. This bothered him too. He refrained from putting his arms around the Slifer, but he did rest his hands on his arms. Eventually, Jaden did relax and melted against his body.

Jesse toyed with a lock of dark brown hair that had fallen across Jaden's shoulder, and kissed the tip of his ear. He didn't know if he should say something or not. But, judging by the way Jaden was acting, he supposed not. He just gingerly rubbed Jaden's arm and shoulder, thinking about how nice it felt to snuggle up against the other and feel his warm, bare skin brushing his own.

Though, he couldn't ignore the way it made his body cry out for more. He was still very worked up from what they had done, and he wondered if Jaden was feeling the same way. He tried to push it to the back of his mind, knowing he would have to go to sleep. Glancing back over at Jaden, he tried to discern whether or not he was already asleep or not. And, judging by the way his body was still slightly tense, he decided that he wasn't.

He lay still for the longest time, feeling hot and sweaty and uncomfortable. He felt as though everything was a pain and he just wanted to move. He felt the need to toss and turn. And a small part of him was urging that he get up and take care of that persistent aching in his lower body. But he had too much pride at the moment. Doing that would just be…so…humiliating. And for some reason, he felt as though it would be like a slap in the face to Jaden. If he found out, that was. After all, that would be saying that he cared too much for _that_, right? He wasn't sure and he was irritated with himself for thinking about it so much, but all he knew was that he shouldn't do it.

After awhile, he noticed that Jaden's breathing had seemed to even out, and his body relaxed considerably. He knew he should have been happy because then Jaden would be more willing to talk when he woke up, but instead, his first thought was _'Oh, great.'_ Perhaps he was wishing he could do the same. Perhaps he had been hoping that Jaden would change his mind. All the same, as soon as he had thought so, he wanted to smack himself.

Feeling miserable and concerned and unhappy, he rested his chin on Jaden's shoulder and tried to settle down. But he just couldn't put his mind to rest. He was too uneasy. And he couldn't help but be sort of ticked at Jaden. He was trying really hard not to be. It made him feel guilty. He was feeling too much at once, and it kind of was making him sick. Sighing, he closed his eyes and tried again to relax.

It was going to be a long night…

* * *

Somehow, Jesse did manage to get to sleep at some point, because when he opened his eyes, light was streaming in across his pillow. Feeling groggy and a little bit cranky because he was so tired, he sat up and rubbed his eyes, feeling a dull headache coming on. He stretched and blinked, looking around. Where was Jaden? The spot next to him was unmade, the covers disheveled, but it was cold. He felt that same pang in the depths of his stomach. What if…?

He jumped up out of bed so quickly it made his head spin. But that didn't matter. He almost fell over as he ignored it and turned to seize his clothes, which were lying on a nearby chair. How long had Jaden been gone, anyway? And what time was it? It barely occurred to him to look at the clock. Though, when he did, he felt a little bit relieved and a little upset. It was about the time he usually got up. But…Jaden…

If the bed was cold then he had been up for a long time. And Jaden _never_ got up early.

What was going on?

Cursing to himself as he tugged the zipper of his pants up, he wondered if he should try calling the other boy. Then again, it might just be best to try to find him. So, he hurriedly finished pulling his boots on and rushed for the door. He almost forgot to grab his bag but remembered just as he was about to leave.

The whole time, he had this _feeling_ deep inside of him, panicking, demanding that he go find Jaden. Why was he getting so worked up, anyway? For all he knew, Jaden had just wanted to get to breakfast early. But…ever since the Viper incident, Jesse had been extra-careful with him.

"Shit…" Jesse muttered as he tripped over a rock in his path. He really was out of it that morning. How late had they stayed up, anyway? He was pretty sure the last time he'd looked at the clock it had been around four. He felt really awful that morning.

It took longer than he had wanted to reach the Slifer dorm. Mostly because he kept tripping over things or crashing into things. He was pretty sure that if anyone saw him—which he was sure someone did—he or she must've thought that he looked like an idiot. And he sort of did…

He finally burst into the Slifer dorm's cafeteria. Syrus and Hassleberry looked up at him questioningly as he hurried over to their table.

"Have you guys seen Jaden?!"

"Uhhh…" the two boys looked at each other for a minute, then back at him.

"Well, yeah, sort of," Hassleberry finally answered, rubbing the back of his head.

"He did come in here for awhile," Syrus agreed, "He sat with us and ate."

"But then he left," Hassleberry finished, glancing down at the table, "He said something about sitting in the classroom."

"That's weird," Jesse mumbled, blinking. Since when did Jaden want to go to class? Or maybe he wanted to talk to someone there?

"Yeah, who knows what he's up to," Syrus sighed, picking at his food. "He seemed a little off today. Like he had something bothering him."

"Well, I'll go talk to him," Jesse assured them, "So don't worry." He forced a smile, feeling like a hypocrite because he was worried.

Without another word, he turned and hurried out. The whole way towards the main building, he tried to come up with something he should say to Jaden, but kept drawing a blank. What _could_ he say, anyway? Everything was so awkward…Well, he might as well try.

When he found Jaden sitting in his classroom, he felt that same pang of worry spring up from deep within him. The Slifer was sitting at his desk, absentmindedly doodling on a sheet of notebook paper, his chin propped in his hand. His brow was furrowed slightly in frustration, though he kept trying to push it back. Slowly, Jesse ascended the steps. Jaden did not even seem to notice his presence.

As he drew closer, he saw that Jaden was doodling pictures of his favorite duel monsters. This made him feel a little bad. Jaden always seemed to do things like this whenever he was upset. He took comfort in his monsters. Though, Jesse momentarily wondered why he wasn't dueling instead.

Clearing his throat a little, Jesse took the seat next to him. "Um…hey…"

Jaden glanced up and smiled wanly. "Hi…"

There was a moment of awkward silence. Jaden lowered his head a little more and scribbled more vigorously. Jesse toyed with his thumbs for a moment, trying to come up with something to say.

"Um…" He paused, trying to force something, anything, to be said. "Are you…Ok?"

Jaden looked up again and propped his chin in his hand, taking a deep breath and letting it out in a little sigh. "Yeah…I just…I don't know."

"Still…regretting…?" Jesse trailed off, not wanting to bring it up again.

"Yeah…"

Silence.

"I'm sorry…" Jesse shifted a little in his seat, uncomfortable.

"It's not your fault. I just…really thought…" Jaden grinned weakly, almost even sadly, "I'm sorry too. I don't know what's wrong with me. I thought I wanted it but…now I'm wondering if I just want to take a step back instead. I don't know if I'll ever want to go that far."

So…he had admitted it…Jesse could not help but feel alarmed. He swallowed quickly, and licked his lips. What could he say? He felt so guilty by that point.

"Oh…Well…that's Ok." He forced a smile, though his lips twitched when stretched like that. "I'll agree to whatever you want. No pressure, Ok?"

Jaden glanced over at him warily, then shut his notebook. "Jes," He looked into those green eyes, sincerity in his own. "You don't have to pretend. I want you to be honest with me like I'm honest with you."

Jesse's smile faded. "Oh, I guess you're right." He pulled his knees up to his chest and hugged them. "Well, I reckon that it'll just have to be all right," He said slowly, thoughtfully, "It's not gonna make me love you any less. And I just want you to be happy. I don't want it to be miserable."

"But you're ready to do more…" Jaden blinked and looked at him expectantly.

"Huh?" Jesse looked a little surprised at this sudden statement. "Oh, well, yeah…but…I can wait..."

"Can you do without?" Jaden tilted his head a bit to one side. "I mean, would you stay with me even if you knew we would never go…all the way?"

"Well, yeah, of course I would," Jesse replied, "Though, I would be disappointed." He thought for a moment, then asked, "You're not going to do that, are you?"

Jaden looked a little freaked out and a little trapped for a moment. Jesse felt bad for saying that when he saw Jaden's dark eyes all wide. He opened his mouth to take it back, but nothing came out.

"I knew it! That's all you care about!"

This really took him aback. He stared at Jaden with huge eyes. "Jay? What the hell…?"  
Jaden glanced over at his shocked expression for a moment. Then, much to Jesse's confusion, he busted out laughing. "Man, Jes, you should've seen your face. I'm sorry…I couldn't help it." He snickered into his hand.

Jesse could've melted into a puddle in his seat. "Thanks a lot…" He groaned. He felt all weak.

Still chuckling softly, Jaden leaned over and brushed his lips to Jesse's cheek. "Sorry. I couldn't help it. But to answer your question…I probably won't. I might change my mind later. I just don't want to do that now." He hooked his arm around Jesse's neck and smiled. "Hey, don't look so upset. Cheer up. I just got a little freaked out. Who knows? It might not even be that long."

"Ok…" Jesse let his head drop on Jaden's shoulder, still shaken up. "And, Jay?"

"Yeah?" Jaden rested his cheek against the top of Jesse's hair.

"Please don't ever do that again. You scared me to death."

Jaden just grinned and held up two fingers. "Hey, what can I say? It was getting too serious and I hated that so I had to break up the mood _somehow_, come on. You should know me better than that." He hooked Jesse's head in his arm and gave him a playful noogie. "And, seriously, you need to stop worrying so much. You're not being yourself."

"I guess you're right." Jesse grinned up at him, grabbing onto his arm.

"So what do you say we have a duel, huh? Come on, it'll cheer you up!" Jaden poked the other boy's cheek, seeming to have bounced back to his normal demeanor.

"Well, Ok." Jesse agreed. He didn't really feel too well at the moment but a duel wouldn't hurt, anyway. Besides, if it would make Jaden more comfortable then he was all for it.

However, the problem still lingered in the back of his mind, and he was wondering what he should do. If he was ready to move on and Jaden wasn't…What was he to do? He knew he should wait and he wanted to wait for Jaden to be ready but…

Maybe he should talk to someone who knew about this kind of thing. Maybe someone could help him sort his feelings out. But for the time being, he pushed it aside and enjoyed the duel. However, there was an obvious difference in the way that he and Jaden thought about their relationship, and no amount of waving it off would make it go away. It was about to make their lives quite difficult. And not just because of Jaden's reluctance to go further. It went much deeper than that…And a certain someone was aware of this. Perhaps it would come to an advantage later. But for the time being…waiting was all that could be done.

* * *

**A/N: NO, NO ONE'S GOING TO TRY TO TEAR THEM APART. DX It's something else…You won't know until I get to it. DX And sorry about Jesse's characterization. It is made of PHAIL. T.T I'll try to do better with him later. BAW. And sorry about making Jaden trick Jesse but I COULDN'T HELP IT I HAD TO DO IT! DX Um but I like this chapter otherwise. D: I think. But ya I'ma get to some of the other things I have to do…like going back to that duel I'm writing. :) But right now I'm gonna take a break from the computer because I feel so damn sick. DX My stomach is killing me. T.T**


	10. Chapter 10

**A/N: Ok sorry if this isn't that interesting…I've got like…two major halves of the story to link together with this bridge bit that has been going on since chapter 8, I think, and I just need to get through a couple more bridge chapters before we get to the good GOOD part. And I mean the meat of the story. So don't think that means pr0nz. XD**

**Disclaimer: I do not own GX.**

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Chapter 10:

Jesse stared down at the slip of paper in disbelief. Disgusted, he slammed his locker shut and slumped against it. Why had he let his grades slip so much? He had never done so badly before. He was so mad at himself for slacking off like that. What had happened?

Thinking back over the past month, he began to realize that it was not just because of the Viper incident. He noted that he had been spending more time with Jaden and less time studying. And most of those times they were doing…absolutely nothing. Either they were goofing off on the roof or just lying in the grass. Or they were dueling. He did not consider this last one wasted time but…he supposed he should not have been allowing rematches late into the night. He had been shirking his homework because of it.

Well, it was clear to him what he had to do. He set his jaw as he looked grimly back down at his report card. If he wanted to bring his grades up again, he was going to have to seriously hit the books.

He was so deeply absorbed in thought that he failed to notice that someone was approaching. He jumped when he felt someone's arm grasp him around the shoulders in a tight half-hug.

"Hey, Jesse!" Came Jaden's cheerful voice, "What're ya doing?"

He glanced over at the brunet and sighed. "Not much," He replied. Indeed. He was in too much of a daze.

"Well, that's good because I was hoping we could go hang out? Ya know, get a few sandwiches from Ms. Dorothy and go duel or something?" He looked hopeful.

Jesse shook his head. "Sorry, Jay, I can't. I've been slackin' off too much. You're rubbin' off on me. I gotta study or I'm gonna fail." He held his report card out for the other to see.

Perplexed, Jaden took the paper and scanned it briefly before snorting and shoving it back in Jesse's hands. "So? It doesn't matter. I do it all the time. Come on." He tugged at Jesse's wrist.

"Jay," Jesse did not look impressed. "I can't fail. I'm not like you."

Jaden looked confused again. "But…it's not going to hurt anything if you make a D."

"It bothers me," Jesse replied, "We've been hangin' out an awful lot lately. And we can hang out some other time. Promise." He grinned weakly.

Pouting a little, Jaden told him, "Aw, come on! Can't it wait? Today is the only day we have a chance at snagging that eggwich. You know you want it!" He coaxed, poking Jesse's cheek and grinning widely, "Come on…."

"No," Jesse said firmly, frowning a little, "I'm sorry, Jay, but I have to study and do my homework. I _can't_ spend every little second with you. I'll see you later." He jerked free of Jaden's grasp and turned to walk away.

Jaden's smile wavered a little. "Uhh…Ok…" He sounded so…disappointed. Maybe even more than just that. He sounded a little hurt. "Well, I guess I'll just see you later, then…If you're not busy." This last part was muttered under his breath.

Feeling guilty, Jesse glanced over his shoulder at the brunet, who had jammed his hands in his pockets and was walking in the opposite direction. When he thought back on it, he had sounded a _little_ harsh. Maybe even to the point of being downright snappish. Of course Jaden was going to be hurt. After all, they weren't just boyfriends; they were best friends too. And Jesse had always been there for him to share pretty much so…every aspect of his life. Until he started getting concerned about his grades. Maybe he just…didn't want to be sent back to North Academy. Maybe he was just afraid that if he wasn't careful that would be the case. Granted, he was not certain this would happen but…the reason he was there in the first place was because he was a good duelist and a good student, and very trustworthy with his teachers back home.

Sighing heavily, he just hugged his books closer to his chest and slipped into the library where he could find peace and quiet. What was he thinking? The whole reason he wanted to stay was because of his friends. And if he had to study like this to stay at Duel Academy…when did he have time for a social life? He just couldn't win. His only comfort was knowing that after awhile, things would die down again in his classes. He could hardly wait.

* * *

"Well, I guess it's just you and me today, huh, pal?"

Jaden sighed, grinning weakly at the floating duel spirit in front of him. He took a big bite of his sandwich and leaned against the tree, chewing thoughtfully. He watched in disinterest as the cool wind toyed with the leaves, and as Kuriboh flitted about. He hated to admit it but…he was lonely already. Because he knew where this was going. After all, it had happened before. He wondered why Jesse had even paid him any attention at all, recently.

There was a nagging possibility in the back of his mind, and as much as he didn't want to think about it, it still surfaced. What if…no. He couldn't think that. Still…It really bothered him that Jesse had seemed so interested in him only after the issue of sex was posed. And then once he had made it clear that he wasn't ready…Did Jesse even love him like that? He knew that the other cared about him as a friend. But…what if he was just saying that to—

Jaden shook his head to clear his mind of the thoughts. No, Jesse did care about him. He would never use him. That was just something he didn't see him doing. But maybe he didn't mean to. Maybe he didn't even know. Maybe it was just sexual attraction mixed with their natural chemistry and friendship, and poor Jesse was mistaking it for love. If it wasn't his fault, Jaden wasn't going to be mad at him. But…he knew they were moving too fast too soon. No matter what the reason the fact of the matter was that the transfer student _was_ pushing himself on the Slifer. He felt as though he were being almost forced. And although he wanted to give in, although he wanted to try it…he just wasn't sure anymore. He had wanted more than anything to give in, to believe that Jesse did love him and they should go further. But…the fact was…he had tested Jesse and he had failed…right?

At least he had respected Jaden's wishes in the end. Otherwise, he didn't know what he would have done.

Ok, so maybe Jesse just had weaknesses. That was all right. Jaden could understand. Maybe given some time, he could forget about this and they could work things out. But for the time being, he just couldn't bring himself to face the issue. Maybe it was just the fact that Jesse had just pushed him away. Maybe he was just ashamed at the way he had been so fickle. Well, whatever the reason, he was confused on how to feel and what to do.

He drew his attention back to Kuriboh as the creature made its noise at him. He frowned again, and murmured, "I know, I know. I should talk to him." He took the final bite of his sandwich and crumpled the paper up into a ball, stuffing it into his jacket to throw away later. Sighing, he lay down in the grass, folding his arms behind his head. "I just…don't know what to say. I don't know if he'll understand." His expression drooped.

Kuriboh pawed at his face, scowling and making somewhat angry noises. Jaden couldn't help but smile weakly, as he brushed it away. He sat up to look at it.

"Yeah, I guess I'm not being myself. I guess I'll talk to him tonight."

The little creature made its noise again, happily this time, and seemed to almost nod in approval. Jaden smiled a little brighter, and lay back down again, more relaxed. If Jesse truly was his best friend, then he would understand. He would have to.

* * *

It wasn't until that night that Jesse saw Jaden. He had spent all day in the library, furiously attempting to make up his homework. He still felt bad for the way he had snapped at Jaden earlier, and was hoping to apologize to him. It had left this sick, burning feeling in his stomach all day, and he supposed he should have said something, but knew if he talked to him, he wouldn't be able to stop. He had eventually given in and texted an apology, but…he hadn't heard back from him.

He shifted uncomfortably as he lay in Jaden's bed, and pulled the covers higher up over himself. He wondered where the brunet was. Had he chased him away? No…that wouldn't be enough to chase Jaden off. He didn't give up on people that easily. Still, he worried that Jaden didn't want to talk to him.

It was at that moment that his phone buzzed, signaling a text had been received. He nearly jumped off of the bed, having not expected the sudden vibration. Still mildly shaken, he flipped it open and read the text.

"_It's Ok."_

He stared at it for a moment as the information sunk in. That was all Jaden had said. Was he still mad? He couldn't tell if it was that or Jaden was just being lazy. Swallowing hard, he texted back. _"Where are you?"_ He pressed the button to send it, and lay back, staring up at the bottom of Syrus' bunk.

A moment later, he received a reply. _"I'm drying off. I'll be there in a few. I wanna talk."_

This last part made Jesse's heart sink down into his stomach. Wanting to talk was never a good thing in relationships, it seemed. From what he'd heard, it always signaled a break-up. He really hoped this wasn't the case. Maybe it was something dumb and he would laugh at himself when it was. He knew he was being paranoid. After all, he hadn't really _done_ anything. Not anything worth breaking-up over, anyway. He slowly relaxed and closed his eyes, pressing his phone against his chest.

The minutes seemed to tick by endlessly until he finally heard the door open, then close. Slowly, he opened his eyes to see Jaden crawling into bed next to him. He moved over to give the other some more room, then put his phone aside and laid his hands down on his chest, still staring up. His face burned and he felt strangely ashamed. Deep down, he knew why.

He felt Jaden snuggle against him, and he shivered as the warmth spread over him like a comforting blanket. He relaxed more and curled up against the brunet as well, before finally letting his gaze drift to meet Jaden's dark eyes.

"I'm sorry," Were the first words that passed his lips in a soft whisper. His tone ached in regret.

"I already told you; it's all good," Jaden murmured, shifting so he was lying on his side. He offered the teal-haired duelist a heartwarming smile. "But…I'm sorry to question you but I really gotta after what's happened over the past few weeks. Do you really love me?" He tilted his head a bit to one side, looking inquisitive. "I mean…It's Ok if you don't. I'm not gonna dump you. I just don't want you to feel like you have to tell me something that's not true to keep me around."

Jesse gawked. Was Jaden serious? How could he not love him? Hadn't he proved—Ok, he hadn't proven anything. "But, I _do_ love you!" He protested, his voice strained in distress, "I'm sorry if I've been selfish lately but…That's not what I wanted you to think."

Jaden blinked, his expression unreadable. He didn't seem to know what to say. Instead of responding right away, he just played with the sheets, bunching them in his fingers then releasing them. "Well…" He smiled weakly, pausing. "…Ok. I'll trust you. But I guess you're probably wondering why I thought that."

Jesse nodded, his eyes wide. "What did I do?" He asked, his voice barely above a hoarse whisper.

"I think you know the answer." His grin widened, though it was more of a nervous reaction than anything. "It was that sex thing. I wanted to but…you just came off too strong and I felt like you didn't really care about how I felt. I know that's not true but I can't help but doubt you. I want to give it to you but…you…didn't seem interested in spending time with me until then. I guess it could have been coincidence but…that's how I feel." He shrugged, remaining calm.

He wasn't going to get all upset about this and make a mistake like last time. There might be a simple solution and he'd already thought it through. If that was what Jesse wanted, in the end, maybe he would be stupid enough to give it to him. Maybe it had freaked him out but…he kind of regretted not allowing him. After all, he _had_ told him they could try it. And then pushed him away so suddenly. He _had_ said he would give it to him. Confusion overwhelmed him once again.

Jesse shifted uneasily. He lay on his side and propped his cheek in his hand. "Well…I'm sorry. I didn't mean for things to turn out the way they did. I won't do that with you if you truly don't want to. But if you want to try again some time…" He stopped himself before he could stick his foot in his mouth. Taking a deep breath, he carefully redirected himself. "I mean...I felt like we had gotten close enough in our relationship to take it further. And maybe it was just me. I'm really sorry. I thought you were ready too."

"Oh…" Jaden grinned weakly, blushing, as he said sheepishly, "I thought I was too. Maybe I am. Maybe I just—"

Jesse put a finger to his lips, stopping him in midsentence. "Jay," He pointed out, looking concerned, "If you hafta stop me, and if you really feel like that, then you're not ready."

"I…guess…" Jaden seemed even more confused. His dark eyes darted about the room, as though searching for an answer. "I don't know. For some reason…I want to try it again. I want to make you happy." He mentally admonished himself. After all, he knew part of the reason he wanted to try was to test Jesse. Would he shower him with affection and attention if he thought there was a chance? Would he later drop him? Or would their relationship grow stronger? He knew that it was not a good idea to play with his virginity like that but…he almost didn't care.

"Don't just do it for me," Jesse told him, frowning. He grasped Jaden's shoulders and looked him directly in the eyes. "I don't want you to do something you're not ready for. Even if I want it that badly…"

"And I say that we try again sometime," Jaden argued, looking determined. "Look, I know I messed up last time. I know I got scared. But I told you I wanted to and I gave you permission. I told you if you wanted it you could have it. And I don't want to go back on my word."

Jesse's head spun. "But…Jay…" He blinked, and tried to make sense of this situation. "You basically told me that you took back everything you said. You've changed your mind three times now. Please…if you're not sure, don't do it!"

"I don't care," Jaden insisted, looking a little upset, "I promised you first off that it was yours. I slipped up when we tried it. I want to try it again. This time, though, maybe we should leave it more open. I mean…it might take me a couple of tries to get used to it. But I don't want to give up on it. I've thought about this…"

"You're not makin' much sense," Jesse pointed out, looking concerned again, "I'm really gettin' worried about you, with the way you're going back and forth. Please make up your mind once and for all. And please don't do it on impulse like you've been doing."

"Ok, Ok," the brunet agreed hurriedly, waving it off, "But can we try again?" He bit his lip, slightly anxious.

Jesse eyed him warily. "I don't know…This is awful suspicious, if you ask me. Why would you come out of the blue like this? You were all upset about it earlier. I don't understand you. What's goin' on in that head of yours?"

"I don't know," Jaden admitted, looking sheepish, "I have my reasons, though." He paused for a moment as they stared into each others' eyes, trying to understand the other. Then, with a heavy sigh, he finally spoke again. "Look, I know it might not make much sense to you. But, like I said, I feel bad about what happened. I guess we just need to ease into it a little more. It's still yours. It always was. And I really do think I'm ready to give it to you. Like I said, I got upset. I got scared. I worried that that was all…" He trailed off, not really wanting to say it.

Jesse tilted his head a bit to one side, frowning. "That was all…what?"

"Ah, nothing." Jaden grinned and waved it off. "Don't worry 'bout it."

Silence. They stared into each others' eyes again, Jaden's grin wavering and Jesse frowning in thought. Finally, Jaden glanced over at the time, looking nervous, and settled back down on the pillow.

"Wow, it's kinda late. I'm tired. Maybe we should just get some sleep." He peered up at Jesse, who was still hovering over him, hoping he would just agree with him.

Slowly, the other eased down, and heaved a heavy sigh. He just couldn't understand why Jaden couldn't say it—though he could guess what it was. Couldn't the brunet tell him anything? Well, he supposed it didn't matter in the end. It was going to be said sooner or later. But he should reassure him, at least.

Cupping Jaden's face in his hands, he leaned down and planted a gentle kiss on the other's lips. He lingered in it for a moment before pulling away and dropping on the pillow next to Jaden, a mournful smile playing on his lips. "Well, good night, Jay." He paused as he watched Jaden close his eyes, then leaned forward and pressed his lips to the other's forehead, capturing him in a hug. Moving his lips down to graze against the shell of his ear, he whispered, "No matter what, I love you. Don't ever think otherwise. I want to have sex with you because I love you, and not because I just want it. I'd never give it to anyone else." He smiled fondly down at him.

Jaden cracked one eye open to look up at him. He couldn't help but smile. "Ok, if you say so, I'll believe you." He sighed and snuggled closer to Jesse, deciding to let it go. Maybe he had just been over-thinking it. Maybe it would be all right to give in to him. After all, he couldn't go on like this forever.

They fell asleep rather quickly, troubles since forgotten. They didn't feel they had anything to worry about and were rather oblivious to the clear and imminent problem that had risen. It was not going to go away even if they thought it had been resolved for the time being. In fact, it was bound to get worse.

* * *

Jesse yawned and glanced at the clock as he sat in his first period class. Groaning, he laid his chin on his arms and watched the teacher in disinterest. It had only been fifteen minutes into the school day and he already was bored out of his mind. The other classes weren't so bad but this teacher really knew how to turn a mildly interesting subject into the driest, dullest lecture on earth. He almost wanted to bang his head against the desk because he was just _so_ bored. Anything would have done to entertain him. _Anything_.

Perhaps he should not have wished this to be, though. For not but five minutes later, who else but Chazz walked in the room, and whispered something to the teacher. Jesse perked up a bit at seeing the black-clad Slifer. He couldn't help but smile a little. He hadn't seen him in awhile, and had been kind of worried about him.

He then realized, much to his embarrassment, that he had been staring at him for the entire duration of time he had been standing there. His face burned a little and he sank in his seat, glancing uneasily around him. No one seemed to have noticed, thankfully. He tried to look away but found himself gazing once more at Chazz. This would not have been a problem but…

Old feelings came back in a bit of a rush. Horrified at himself, he quickly tried to shove them down. Why was he still feeling this way? He thought he had gotten rid of them and he _had_ forgotten about him for quite some time. But all of the sudden…they were back? It was like some sort of switch had been flipped on inside his brain, and suddenly he was attracted to him again. He was confused but supposed it could be because he was bored and because Chazz could be unpredictable and exciting. Even so, he felt guilty because he felt like he was emotionally cheating.

He watched as Chazz turned around, probably to leave, he thought. But instead, he seemed to be headed up the steps towards the spot he was sitting. His cheeks flushed again, and he looked away. It couldn't really be true…could it?

"Jesse."

Jesse glanced up, surprised. "Oh, um…hi…" He kind of mumbled it, then quickly composed himself. "What's up?"

"I want to talk to you. Outside." Chazz's expression could not really be read, but his tone said that he meant business.

Jesse merely nodded and stood up. Wordlessly, Chazz reached down and grabbed his bag for him, and hoisted it over his shoulder. Jesse would have questioned it, and opened his mouth to do so, but one look sent over the shoulder was enough to silence him. He followed the other out of the classroom and into the hall.

Nothing was exchanged until they were well on their way to the infirmary. Then, Chazz stopped in the middle of the hall, and dropped the bag on the floor. "Ok, I confess. I lied that the Chancellor wanted to see you just so you could get out of class and talk to me."

Jesse blinked, his face reddening a little. "Really?" He was kind of taken aback. Sure, Chazz had done some things in the past of this nature but…he hadn't done those things in a long time. What could he be up to? "Why?"

Chazz sighed and leaned against the wall, crossing his arms over his chest and looking irritated. "Andersen…" He hissed, hugging himself a little, "I can't believe you would pull this on me _now_ of all times."

Jesse frowned. "Now what are you talkin' about? You just came in there and dragged me out here and never told me why. No one told me why. And you expect me to know?"

He lifted his onyx eyes to gaze at the teal-haired boy, his expression serious. "You really _don't_ know…"

Jesse shook his head. "Of course not!"

A ragged sigh. "Oh, geez." Chazz pinched the bridge of his nose, looking pained. "Ok, several things…First of all…Viper may be gone but I don't think the problem is."

Jesse's eyes widened. "Really? What do you mean? What's going on?"

"We're not really sure…" Chazz admitted, "But…some of the guys have claimed that this school is haunted or something. Because they say they keep hearing voices telling them to do things, or telling them weird things…"

"Like what?"

"Like…mostly it has to do with Jaden, they say. Really weird." Chazz rolled his eyes. "I don't really know what's going on. But I don't think it's a spirit because otherwise, I'd have known about it. These guys wouldn't let me hear the end of it." He jabbed his finger at the Ojamas, who had appeared by his shoulder.

Jesse smiled weakly. "Well, you never know. You can't always tell…"

"I guess. I just think that Viper had set up some way of getting these messages through and scaring the kids into turning on Jaden. It's really beginning to creep people out, whatever it is. And then there's this." He dug through his own bag for a moment before pulling out his camera and holding it out to Jesse. "Check this out…"

Jesse leaned over to look at the same time Chazz did, causing their shoulders—and their faces—to bump slightly. They pulled back and glanced at each other, faces pink. Embarrassed, they quickly diverted their attention back to the camera's screen. And soon, all was forgotten.

"Whoa…" Jesse's eyes widened again at the sight. There, at the back of the Slifer dorm's wall, was lettering carved into the surface. It was tinged with a red substance, which, upon closer inspection, seemed to be blood. "What happened? And why didn't I see that when I left this morning?"

Chazz shrugged. "Well, I came across it after you left. Who knows. You probably didn't go around the building, though. And I don't know what happened but I think we should tell Jaden about it."

"Well, then, why didn't you bring him out here to show him?" Jesse asked, frowning again.

"Because…Because…" Chazz paused, stuck. Finally, he sighed in exasperation. "Look, I just wanted to see you, Ok?"

Jesse raised an eyebrow. "So you would put Jaden in danger just to see me?"

"No, it's not like that!" Chazz shifted from one foot to the other, growing irritated again. "Look. I was going to show him. I just wanted to talk to you first. Because…that's not all. There's some things I don't want to tell Jaden."

"Oh really?" Jesse crossed his arms and looked skeptical. "And you can tell me instead? Well, Ok, shoot."

Looking stuck again, and uncomfortable, Chazz tried to come up with some excuse. Jesse _knew_ that what Chazz had done wasn't exactly the logical thing to do, and it really made him wonder why he had come to him in the first place. He had an idea, but he pushed it further in the back of his mind, embarrassed. He felt his heart beat a little harder as the thought resurfaced again, and shoved it aside. It was difficult not to think about when he knew it was true. Still, he kept looking at Chazz with a steady gaze, awaiting a decent explanation.

"The thing is…" Chazz shifted from one foot to the other, biting his lip. "Ok, maybe there's not much sense in coming to you but I feel comfortable telling you this for some reason, Ok? Maybe it's because…we were close before." His face burned in humiliation as he admitted this bit of information.

Jesse was a little surprised that he would admit it so easily but…he wasn't going to stop him. Whatever Chazz wanted to tell him, he would hear. "Ok, well…go on." He smiled weakly, trying to seem encouraging. It was awful hard, though, when he was so skeptical and nervous. However, he managed to hide it.

"I…I," Chazz sighed and took a deep breath, averting his gaze so he wouldn't have to look into Jesse's eyes. His expression fell and he seemed forlorn. "I don't think Alexis is going to make it." He finally confessed, running a hand through his hair.

There was a brief moment of silence as the information sunk in. Then, Jesse said softly, "Well, you never know. She just might recover. You can't give up hope that easily."

"I'm not," He insisted, hugging himself a little tighter and glancing up with an angry gaze, "Do you think I want to believe that? Huh? I've been with her every single day since she's been unconscious and she hasn't gotten any better. Do you know what?" He stepped a little closer to Jesse, backing him into the wall.

"Um…what?" Jesse looked up, biting his lip.

"She's gotten _worse_. Not better. And Ms. Fountaine hasn't said much about her condition to me. But I heard her make a phone call to Alexis' parents last night and…" He trailed off and shook his head. "It…It's not good, Ok?" He paused, putting a hand to his forehead and sighing again.

Jesse tried to think of something comforting to say, but in the end, he found he was at a loss for words. He could only gaze up at the other sympathetically, and wait for him to go on. It wasn't that he did not care. He just did not know what to say. Well, he supposed it should not have been a shock but it really was.

"I'm sorry," Chazz grumbled, lifting his face to look at Jesse with dark eyes, "I can't go on. I just…don't want to repeat what I heard."

"That's Ok," Jesse told him after a brief pause, laying a hand on his shoulder comfortingly. "You don't have to tell me anything if you don't want to. It'll be Ok." He offered a wan smile, trying to seem encouraging but worrying that he was only making things worse.

Chazz looked up at him with dark, weary eyes. "Thanks, Andersen," He finally murmured, tired and worn.

"No problem." He smiled again, warmly this time.

Before he had a chance to say anything else, he felt himself being engulfed in a tight hug. A small little gasp of surprise escaped his lips as he felt Chazz's arms encircling his waist securely. The black-clad Slifer clung to him as though his life depended on it, pressing him close. Jesse knew that he was just upset but…there was more to the embrace than a need for assurance and support. He glanced up at the other's onyx eyes, uneasy. Already, his smile was wavering a bit. Chazz said nothing, just grimaced and pressed him closer, resting his chin on top of Jesse's head. There were a few moments of awkward silence as this continued. Jesse swallowed hard, feeling more nervous as the minutes ticked away, his heart beginning to beat faster as his face flushed.

"Um…" He finally cleared his throat, trying to find his voice again. Another weak smile. "Chazz…do you think this is appropriate? I mean…given the situation and—"

"Don't even go there," Chazz grumbled, hugging him all the tighter, "I don't care anymore."

"But—" Jesse began, trying to protest.

"Shush!" It was hissed, and soon after, a finger fell upon his lips, preventing him from continuing. Chazz was obviously irritated. "I said I don't care, Ok?! Just…shut up."

He never had been too good with handling emotion. Even though he sounded angry, Jesse knew it was just a cover-up for his distress and sorrow. So he decided maybe he should just let it go. He was only comforting a friend, after all. And, because of this reason, he allowed his own arms to slip around Chazz. A little sigh escaped his lips as he rested his cheek against the other's shoulder and closed his eyes. When would things ever get better? It really didn't help that he found himself being sorely tempted…yet again.

"I…" Chazz began, breaking the silence. He snapped his mouth shut quickly, his face flushing in embarrassment.

"What?" Jesse looked up at him worriedly.

"I…I don't know." A ragged sigh. "I'm so scared I'll lose her." His voice shook a little, as he finally allowed his emotion to show through a bit. "Don't tell anybody about this. I really don't want them to know yet. I can't stand it, or any sort of sympathy they might show. As sincere as it is, I don't want it."

"I reckon that makes sense…" Jesse wasn't sure he completely understood it but he did know that Chazz didn't want the others to be upset or to injure his pride by breaking down in front of everyone. He understood that the other needed his room, and perhaps that was all that he had to comprehend.

He gazed up at the older boy worriedly. Chazz sighed again, looking down at the floor, then brought his eyes up to Jesse's. Seeing the concern evident in them, a faint smile flickered at the corners of his lips, and he brought his hand up to the European's face. He brushed some hair out of it, then, leaned in and brushed his lips against the junction between his jaw and neck, causing him to flinch and blush.

"Ch-Chazz!" He exclaimed, startled. He stared at those charcoal eyes, dumbfounded.

"Sorry," Chazz grumbled, quickly pulling away and jamming his hands in his pockets. "I just wanted you to know…that I still cared about you and really appreciated that you'll listen. I guess I shouldn't do this but…screw it…" He glanced back down the hall, sighing. "Just forget it, Ok? I gotta go." He quickly pulled away from Jesse, and whirled around to hurry down the hall, his face crimson.

Jesse shivered as a cool rush of air enveloped the sudden space between them. He reached out to grasp Chazz's sleeve, but his fingers merely brushed the fabric as Chazz jerked away. "Don't go yet…" He was surprised at how tense and anxious his voice sounded.

Chazz did not reply. He seemed to be regretting what he had done, and with good reason too. Something was grumbled under his breath that Jesse could not quite make out, save for the last 'it would never be like that again.' He bit his lip and opened his mouth to call to him again, but stopped himself when he felt a hand fall on his shoulder.

"What are you doing?"

He jumped at the familiar voice and turned to find himself staring into chocolate eyes. The owner may have been smiling but it was a nervous one.

"J-Jaden…" He quickly composed himself. "Uh, so how long have you been standin' there?"

"I just came out to check on you," He replied, looking confused, "What's going on? Is something wrong?"

He breathed a sigh of relief. So Jaden hadn't witnessed that little scene. He was grateful but at the same time…he almost wished he had. "Oh, well, Chazz doesn't want me to talk about it," He answered truthfully, grinning sheepishly, "Sorry."

The brunet blinked. "Oh…well…Ok." He gave Jesse a strange look, but said nothing more. "Just…go back to class. Ok?"

Jesse nodded feebly and subjected himself to being dragged back to class. He sent one more glance in the direction Chazz had run off to as they were walking away. And then he forced the dirty thoughts that were playing through his head out of his mind.

* * *

"It's your move, Jes," Jaden said, after laying a card face down on the bed.

"Huh? Oh…yeah…" Jesse quickly turned his attention back to their duel, and pulled a card. He stared at his hand for a long time, finding it hard to focus. It felt so strange to not be so caught up in a duel for once…It felt strange to be so worried that he thought he would be sick.

"Um, are you Ok? You're really not being yourself," Jaden finally asked, after Jesse had stared at his hand for a few minutes.

"No, not really," Jesse sighed, looking up over his cards. He felt his stomach knot up all over again at the thought of everything that was happening. He wasn't sure how to tell Jaden or _what_ to say to him, even. He had never found something so difficult to tell him, even when it should have been a no-brainer. He supposed it was only natural, seeing how he couldn't tell him the whole story. He'd been asked specifically not to. But Jaden deserved to know a bit, didn't he?

"Well? What is it?" Jaden didn't put his cards down but he did move closer to sit next to Jesse.

The European sighed and laid his cards face-down in his lap. "I'm not sure where to start. But Chazz told me some disturbing things today."

"Like about what happened to the dorm?" Jaden tilted his head a bit to one side.

Jesse was genuinely surprised. "Y-You knew about that?"

"Well, duh," Jaden smirked slightly, and hooked an arm around Jesse's neck, "That was pretty obvious, if you ask me. I saw it when I came back here to get my books. The teacher insisted." He rolled his eyes.

"Aren't you a little bit concerned 'bout it?" Jesse asked, skeptical.

"Not really," Jaden laughed, "I can handle anything, seriously. I got it. Ok?"

"Do you even know what it is?" He really shouldn't have been so surprised. Jaden was going to be Jaden. And he was not easily intimidated.

"Nah, but like I said…It's all good." Jaden smiled confidently. "Don't tell me _that_ was getting you down. I mean, come on. The teachers aren't too worried about it…I think…because they haven't said anything. What, are you scared or something?"

The teal-haired duelist blinked. "Scared? What; me? No…"

"Yeah, yeah, that's what they all say," The brunet teased, playfully ruffling his hair. Jesse pouted. "Aw, come on, don't give me that look. Relax. 'K? Just cheer up. Let's just keep dueling and I'm sure you'll forget all about it."

Jesse opened his mouth to protest, then quickly snapped it shut again. There was no use in protesting and there was no use in trying to explain anything to him. He was just going to go on with the duel like Jaden wanted. After all, maybe Jaden was right. Maybe he was being silly and making a big deal out of nothing.

They didn't say much after that, except what they normally would in a duel. There wasn't anything more to be said. It wasn't until after a couple of matches that anything was really said…and that was only when Jaden challenged for another rematch. Jesse kindly declined.

"Sorry, Jay, I'm jus' not feelin' it right now." He sighed, laying back on the bed and slinging an arm over his eyes. Another heavy sigh and a pause, then he continued. "It's not like me, I know, I know. I just…somehow feel too tired."

"Ok…" Jaden sounded uncertain, but he didn't press for information. By then, it was clear to him that there was more getting his boyfriend's spirits down than he'd thought. He didn't say anything, but he slowly eased down next to him, lying close and placing a hand on his arm to try to comfort him.

Jesse lay still for awhile, before he finally peeked from beneath his arm to look at Jaden. Those dark eyes were regarding him inquisitively, worriedly. He was trying to read the transfer student, trying to gauge what was wrong and what he could do to help. Looking saddened, he laid his cheek down on Jesse's shoulder and stared up at him.

"Hey…" He said softly, breaking the silence, "If you need something…just ask. Ok?"

"Huh?" This caught his attention. He sat up a bit and looked puzzled. "Need somethin'? Jay, what are you talking about?"

Jaden shrugged. "I don't know. You just seemed kinda down. And I want to help you feel better." He offered a warm, cheerful smile, though there was underlying sadness.

After a moment's pondering, Jesse turned to the Slifer and surprised him by throwing his arms around him in a tight hug. "This is all I need," He muttered, resting his chin on Jaden's shoulder and sighing, "I'm just really stressed out right now. I'll be Ok."

Jaden hugged him back, burying his nose in the other's shoulder. "If you say so…" A little sigh escaped his lips as his eyelids fluttered shut. "I'll do whatever I can."

They ended up just holding each other in silence for about half an hour, until Jesse finally slipped beneath the covers and pulled Jaden with him. He held the brunet close, cuddling him and running his fingers absentmindedly through the choppy brown hair. It was comforting to feel the other's presence, assured that he was still there by the warm, gentle puffs of breath on his neck. It filled him with a sense of calm. He knew he should be studying or doing homework, but…

Before he could consider the idea any more, he felt the warm weight of a hand moving slowly up and down his back. He shivered slightly as the fingertips brushed against all the sensitive spots along his spine. Was Jaden doing this on _purpose_? Did he know what he had been thinking? One glance down at the mischievous smirk answered all of Jesse's questions.

"What do you want?" He asked, raising an eyebrow.

"Nothing," Jaden replied, his smirk melting into a gentler smile, "I just want you to feel better." He pressed his lips against Jesse's neck and sighed contentedly.

He had no idea just how serious this was getting, Jesse realized. He swallowed hard and ran his fingers through the back of Jaden's hair, feeling nervous all over again. There was that familiar ache rising within him again. Why did it always seem to appear in the worst of situations? After all, the last attempt had not been that long ago…Jaden was still uneasy and uncertain. Even if he kept going back and forth, that was how he truly felt, in the end. At least Jesse was smart enough to know that. As much as he would like to mess around with him, it was not the time. Not at the moment, anyway. Maybe later…but not at that exact moment.

Sighing, he forced himself off the mattress, leaving Jaden staring at him with confused brown eyes. He had to stop this before he made a mistake. Turning with a wry grin, he apologized, "Sorry, Jay, I would like to have a moment with you, but I gotta do my homework. We can continue this later if you want."

"Um…Ok…" Jaden seemed caught off guard, and so he relented. Only because he'd been pushed away by Jesse so many times before. He really didn't want the other to yell at him again. If he promised they would later, then they would. For the time being, he just snuggled back against the pillow and watched him from across the room.

In reality, Jesse hadn't just pushed him away because he had to complete his assignments. It was also because he wanted Jaden to think it over, to make sure he knew what he was doing and was comfortable with it. They did _not_ need a mishap like last time. And since he had an idea what that would be like, then, maybe he would be able to make a more proper decision. If it wasn't decided in the heat of the moment, then they wouldn't go too far. Maybe after dinner they could talk about it. But for the time being, they needed to think.

As they sat silently, unperturbed, in the comfort of the Slifer dorm, a figure watched from afar off. Perhaps it wasn't even a part of that world, but of its own. But it was watching, and waiting for the opportune moment. It could only wait for things to play out seemingly on their own, though the events were carefully orchestrated by an unseen force. No, it wouldn't be long then…Not long at all until this tranquil scene was shattered, the effects like ripples. Soon…

* * *

**A/N: Holy fucking shit. You guys will NOT believe…I swear to you, I have been writing this thing since the beginning of fucking May. WRRRYYYY. BAW. You see, I have the ideas coming up and I'm trying to bridge to them but something, er, has to happen beforehand in order for it to work. And I hafta bide my time for that to happen first. X.x Hopefully it won't be much longer. ARGH. Sorry for the crap ending I just ended up rambling and aakljdgaga. XD I'm just glad to get it done. I NEVER thought I'd finish this chapter. For real. XDD  
**


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